Artemis Fowl and the Sweet Revenge
by BosBaBe
Summary: Artemis and Holly are both very confused. They are both shocked by there feelings for one another, and desperately try to hide their emotions. Meanwhile, Opal is still at large and will stop at NOTHING to kill Artemis. Directly after TTP. Serious A/H!
1. The Blue haze

**The Deep Blue Haze**

**Holly stared at the mirror, lost in thought.**

**Her eyes, one blue and one hazel, stared intently back at her. But she was staring at the blue one in particular. She felt like she was drowning in its deep blue heart. It was so strange, but she still felt open to it.**

**The eye sparkled curiously, and Holly felt her insides twist and bunch up.**

"_**Arty…" **_**she thought, as her stomach unclenched.**

**Her thoughts wondered to when they had kissed, and not for the first time, she felt a phantom tingle on her lips.**

**She snapped out of her stupor, immediately mad at herself.**

"**Stop this," she hissed to herself, "you're a professional! Get a grip on yourself! You just feel like this because of the time tunnel!"**

**But she knew she was lying to herself. It went deeper than that…much, much deeper.**

**She moaned deep in her thought, and glanced at the mirror again, and was once again lost in the deep blue haze.**

"_**Why? Why do I still feel like this? He lied to me, and I was angry at him, but WHY do I still…"**_

**But she knew that the lie story wouldn't work, she had forgiven him, and he had done it to save his mother.**

**The blue eye in the mirror suddenly filled with sadness, and she felt her throat close painfully.**

"**Artemis."**

**She cried out in shock as the communicator on the counter buzzed into life. She swore under her breath, shook herself and glanced at the caller ID.**

**It was Foaly, her close friend and the LEP's technical advisor.**

"**D'Arvit!" she swore irritably. It was her weekend off, and it seemed that she would not even be given two days peace.**

"**There had better be a VERY good reason for this call Foaly." She growled, not even bothering to hide her irritation.**

**The centaur on the end of the line winced, but wasn't surprised by her agitation. He knew all to well how tired one could feel after a mission (although he had hardly ever done any physical activity in any of them).**

"**It's a very, VERY good reason. And do you know that the word 'hello' does exist?" he grumbled unhappily.**

"**I'm sorry Foaly, but what did you expect, hugs and kisses? And this VERY good reason must be directed at someone else. I'm off this weekend. And it wouldn't hurt to give me a purely social call."**

"**Maybe in another time, but now we have a problem. I'll say just one word that will throw your weekend off out the window…Opal!"**

**Holly froze, her eyes widening in shock and horror.**

"**You didn't find her?" she whispered, knowing what the answer would be, but wishing she was wrong.**

"**Correct. The search team found the helmet, but no Opal. She must of taken it off and left it there as a decoy. I've been trying to search for your suits vital signs, but it's all flat lined. I can think of a few reasons for this…" and with that, the centaur launched off into a lecture.**

**But Holly had stopped listening. She was once again staring at the mirror. The blue eye was filled with worry.**

"**Oh no, Artemis…" she whispered, her voice layered with fear and worry.**

**Foaly stopped mid lecture. "Yes. We need to be concerned about our young friends' safety. Commander Kelp has given you orders to travel to Fowl Manor, and stay there till Koboi is captured and sent back to her own time. You should pack in some civilian wear for your stay. You might be there awhile. But I don't think you'll mind though." he said, with a knowing chuckle.**

**Holly ignored the jibe. Something else he had said had come to her attention,**"**Hold on?! Am I the only one who's going to be watching out for him? Wont I need back up?"**

**Foaly scowled, "Apparently the safety of a human teenager's life, even if he is a friend to the People, is not important to the Council. They have forced us to send the rest of our squad off to guard the present day Opal, and the old Koboi and weapons warehouses. Looks like you're on your own, but I have seen that you can handle this just fine by yourself more than a few times, even if there were…complications."**

**Holly sighed. This was going to be a very long day.**

"**Fine, I'll meet you at Police Plaza in fifteen minutes. I'll need to get a new suit, as you well know."**

"**Oh, that reminds me! I've got this new suit waiting for you here. Actually, it's not that new. It's been sitting here, waiting for a big enough reason to be worn. I think this might be just the right time for you to wear the latest advancement in technology! You'll just love it!" Foaly was already getting excited. He had always enjoyed dressing her up in his beloved technology.( Kind of how a mother likes to dress her little girl in princess outfits and then take pics and croon over the very unhappy little child.)**

**But, unfortunate for Foaly, Holly was not as easly swayed.**

"**Not a chance in Hell!" growled Holly, "I've been your test dumpy WAY too many times! Just give me the old suit, and I'll leave without a signal drop of blood being shed."**

"**Come on Holly, this is Opal Koboi we're talking about. You want to keep Artemis safe right?"**

**Holly felt like wringing the centaurs neck. It wasn't fare. WHY did he have to use her weakness to get his way! It wasn't sporty to play dirty! She mentally cursed herself for being so easy for him to read."Of course I do, what kind of question is that?! Fine, I'll see it when I get there, and I'll either give it the green light, or I'll turn it down flat."**

"**Good, I'll see you then, Captain Short!" Foaly grinned, barely able to contain his excitement.**

**Holly groaned and hung up.**

**She hurried over to her wardrobe, and began selecting outfits. All the while her thoughts raced, jumping from topic to topic.**

**Her heart felt like it was going to explode! Worry reared it's mighty head inside her, causing her to ground her teeth.**

**She just had to remain calm, and to think clearly.**

**It took her awhile, but she finally got everything packed. It had taken her so long only because she had tried desperately to find some decent, sensible clothes. She was also slightly worried about what Artemis would think of her outfits, but there was more chance of her admitting this than of a male dwarf popping the question to a male goblin.**

**She slung her bag over her shoulder, and looked one last time at the mirror.**

**The mismatched eyes were hard and determined.**

"_**Artemis, if you're not in one piece when I get there, I'll…I'll…I don't know what I'll do." **_**She thought sadly as she locked the front door.**

**Then she began to run in the direction of Police Plaza.**


	2. Sweet Dreams and Vengeance

**Hey guys! Heres the next chapter! Sorry for not saying anything in the last one, but I'm kinda new to this, Hehe. But I must warn you, the characters in this Fanfic are NOT my own. They belong to Eoin Colfer and I have simply felt the need to use them in my Fanfic. I hope you all love this new chapter. And I hope you guys will be much more interested than my sister (she has never read Artemis Fowl, so she will never know itd full glory). Oh, and pleeeease rate and review, I'm nervous no one will see my story and it will just sit on this site, gathering dust! So please don't be shy. Enjoy!**

**2. Sweet Dreams and Vengeance**

**Artemis lay in bed, drifting helplessly in a dream.**

**He was standing under an oak tree, its huge trunk and foliage casting a large shadow over him and the river passing it, trickling happily in the twilight. The light was reflecting off its surface, looking like a band of gold and dark blue running through the forest clearing.**

**Artemis looked around in wonder. This place was stunning to say the least. His huge mind was temporarily dumbfounded by its beauty. He looked around, grinning to himself.**

**But his eyes froze, surprised by what he saw.**

**Standing by the river, looking down into its depths, was a girl. No, despite her size, you could tell she was a young woman by her curves and proportions. And curiously, she had pointed ears.**

**Her cropped auburn hair sparkled in the light, and her coffee colored skin looked soft to the touch.**

**She froze, realizing she was being watched, and slowly turned round.**

**Artemis gasped, as he met her mismatched eyes, one deep blue, the other hazel with a golden band around the pupil.**

**Holly Short, in a short black strapless dress with high heels, smiled at him, her eyes twinkling in the evening light.**

**He smiled back, feeling warmth flood through him. He wanted to run to her side, but was rooted to the spot. He tried to move, panic starting to well up inside him as he realized that he could not reach her.**

**The elf noticed his struggles, and took the few steps needed to reach him. He felt a wave of happiness threaten to floor him right then and there as he wrapped his arms around her waist.**

**Holly's smile was huge as she hooked her arms around his neck and her eyes were filled with happiness and…was it…need? **

"**Arty." She whispered her voice warm and sultry.**

**Artemis felt himself shiver. She was so close. He could see every shade of color in her eyes and every dark eyelash. But… it wasn't' close enough.**

**He leaned in closer, wanting to take what he desperately needed.**

**But then she froze, her body going hard and cold against him. Her eyes suddenly filled with sadness and horror, and she stepped away, leaving him feeling cold and alone.**

**He reached out to her, confused and shocked, but she shook her head.**

"**No, Artemis." She said her voice sounding cold and flat.**

**And with that, she turned around, and began to walk away.**

"**No!" he gasped, his voice rising in panic, "Don't leave me!!"**

**But she carried on, slipping silently into the forest.**

**Artemis sank to his knees and screamed, his voice sounding like that of a dying animal.**

* * *

**Artemis sat bolt upright in bed, his scream slowly dying on his lips.**

**He reached up a hand to push the hair from his eyes, and he realized he was shaking violently.**

**He blew out a shaky breath and tried to calm himself. Slowly but surely his nerves began to relax again.**

**With a sigh he lay down again and closed his eyes, thoughts chasing themselves around his head.**

**But one of them stood out the most.**

_**Holly...**_

_**Stop this; it's just your hormones taking over. It's just your adolescent confusion.**_

_**Get a grip on yourself.**_

**But he ignored that very small voice in the back of his mind. He knew how he truly felt. **

**Her words echoed deep in his mind. **

_**We're from different worlds, Artemis. We will always have doubts about each other. Let's just carry on and leave the past in the past, where it should be.**_

**He felt himself fill up with determination.**

_**Not if I can help it. I'm not the type to leave things be, especially something like this.**_

**He smiled, this thought comforting him.**

**But he didn't have time to enjoy his comfort, for just as he began to relax his bedroom door opened with a bang, and the twin tornadoes Beckett and Myles charged into the room, leaving wide spread panic and disorder in their wake.**

**Artemis barely had time to yelp in surprise as his brothers launched themselves onto his bed and tackled him, knocking the air out of his lungs.**

**With a grin, Artemis returned the favor, and began to play wrestle his brothers.**

**After a few minutes of play, the toddlers sat heavily on top of him, and grinned wickedly at their helpless brother.**

**Artemis noticed the window opening by itself, and made a mental note of it.**

**But to hide his awareness, he continued to play with his brothers.**

"**We got you Artemis!" laughed Myles.**

"**Ja, now we make you eat worms!!" shouted Beckett happily.**

**Artemis' eyes widened in mock horror, "What? Worms!!? Noooo! That's not fair!"**

"**We make you eat tasty wormys!" laughed Beckett, licking his lips to add effect.**

"**Not if I can help it, my dear brothers!", and with that, Artemis rolled over heavily onto his little brothers, ignoring their horrified cries.**

"**Aaaah, this is really comfortable, I think I'll just take a nap." Artemis sneered, making himself comfortable on top of his unfortunate twin brothers.**

"**No Artemis!" shouted Myles in horror, "Your squishing us!!"**

**Artemis grinned, listening happily to the toddlers protests. Vengeance is sweet.**

**But then Beckett and Myles began to kick and hit the dead weight on top of them, desperate to escape.**

**Artemis gasped, as someone kicked his spine, and, unable to handle the abuse any longer, he rolled off of his brothers.**

"**Fatty Artemis." growled Becket, obviously not impressed.**

"**I am most certainly not fat!" objected Artemis, thoroughly insulted.**

"**Fatty Artemis simple-toon!" said Myles seriously, and the two boys left the room, giggling as they went.**

**Artemis waited for them to slam the door behind them, and then addressed the room.**

"**Really Holly, you can stop laughing now."**

* * *

**There it is!! Did you like it, or was it crap? If it was, tell me, so I can fix my mistakes. I will send out the next chapter very soon, so watch ou! And please, don't be afraid to rate and review, I'm open to comments and advice (but please, no rude comments. I may be open, but I'm not THAT open!).**


	3. A Welcome Surprise bearing Bad News

**Hey Guys!! Wow, I can't believe I've gotten so many great reviews! I must admit the bold was abit much, but don't worry, I try not to make the same mistake twice.**

**Well here it is the next chapter! Sorry it took so long, but I haven't had much free time.**

**A Welcome Surprise bearing Bad News**

"Really Holly, you can stop laughing now."

Holly shimmered into the visible spectrum, rolling around on the floor, shaking with laughter.

"Honestly Captain, it's not that funny." mumbled Artemis, obviously not happy at being laughed at.

"Sorry Arty, but it really is that funny." She grinned, picking herself up off the carpet.

Artemis muttered under his breath, still embarrassed.

"I agree with your brother, they should feed you worms. I'd pay to see it. But it seems that your brothers think you don't need any extra pounds!"

"I am not fat! Of course I'm bigger than them, so needless to say I'm heavier!" Artemis protested shock and horror edged into his features.

"I must admit, I disagree with your brothers." She stated.

"Thank you. But…I don't mean to sound rude or ungrateful, but why are you here? The fact that I saw you yesterday clearly states that this is not a social visit."

The smile disappeared from Holly's face.

"Opals still at large. Your trick with the Seventh Kraken does not seem to have slowed her down."

Artemis' eyes widened in momentary surprise, "I see. She must have left your helmet behind as a decoy. So you have been sent here to keep guard over me until she has been captured and sent back to her own time, correct?"

"Yes."

"Aah. And once again, no mean to sound rude, but why are you the only one to protect my person? Wouldn't one expect more officials when dealing with a situation like this? Not that I believe your incapable of the job, it's just a matter of inquiry."

Holly scowled, looking genuinely angry, "The council doesn't believe your life is important enough to be given a proper guard, even though you are a true friend to the People. The rest of our squads are out searching for Opal or guarding the old weapons warehouses."

Artemis smiled, trying to disperse the elf's anger.

"That sounds moderately reasonable. The more squads out there searching, means that the chances are higher of her capture. And I believe that you are more than able of accomplishing this assignment."

Holly looked up into his eyes, and Artemis felt himself begin to drift.

"And how high do you think the chances are of her getting caught quickly?"

Artemis wrenched himself out of his daze, and tried to think.

Finally he looked back, his face serious, and slightly worried.

"Almost none."

Holly nodded, not at all surprised, "Looks like I'm going to be here awhile. Lucky me!" she smiled and turned to pick her bag up off the floor.

It was at that moment Artemis noticed something different, and when he looked closer, his eyes almost popped out of his skull.

"Er, n-new suit?" he stuttered, staring at the elf in shock.

Holly froze, and turned round slowly, a embarrassed smile on her face.

"Um...ya, but I'm going to kill Foaly when I get back." she looked at herself in disgust,"I look like an elven rip off of the Charlies Angels!"

For a matter of fact she did. Her suit was made of a material that looked shockingly similar to Lycra. It looked like all the other LEP suits, but this one was more elegant and dangerous looking. It was black, and on the left side of her chest was a gold acorn, her name and rank printed on the bottom in Gnommish. At that moment, she could walk into a sci-fi convention and no one would look at her twice, and would only do so to give her a few appreciative glances.

Like the one Artemis was struggling not to give her (needless to say he was failing miserably).

"It doesn't look that bad." he mumbled, trying to look normal.

And, if you had to think about, it didn't. It was stunning! She looked beautiful, in a dangerous sort of way. But, then again, she always had looked beautiful to him, no matter what she wore.

"Thanks. But, the appearance isn't the only thing that's changed. Watch this."

She stood still, hands at her sides, and all of a sudden the wings on her suit flared into life, lifting her up of the ground till she was at face to face height with him. Artemis once again felt slightly dazed as he looked into his friends eyes.

"A new trick. Since there was no obvious movement, i presume the wings can operate to your brain waves, like another set of limbs."

Holly grinned, "Your getting good. This is only one of the many new tricks I have. Everything is basically twice as good as it used to be. One of the other tricks is that the impact I make when I hit the ground will be broken down, making it feel as if I have simply jumped of a small wall. Unfortunately, it only works for second-story buildings, so don't expect me to be jumping off of sky scrappers without a pair of wings on my back and a smile on my face."

Artemis nodded, impressed,"That could defiantly come in handy. So, while I go shower and get ready, you can make yourself comfortable. We have a guest bedroom down the hall. You can sleep there while you're here."

Holly shook her head, "No go. Don't you have a room that's closer? I need to be able to get here quickly in case we're attacked in the night."

"No. That room's the only one available."

Holly sighed, "Then I'm gonna have to bunk in with you. Besides, your family's also here, so your room seems like the safest option...Is that ok with you?"

Artemis almost fell back against the pillows in shock. Holly...sharing a room with him? The thought wasn't too unpleasant, but it was still embarrassing to think about.

But before he could stop himself, the words were already falling from his lips, "Sure! You wait here while I get ready. We'll organize it all when I'm done."

He got up, grabbed the necessary clothes from his wardrobe, and walked into the bathroom, closing the door swiftly behind him.

He started up the shower, and hurriedly undressed. He spared himself a moment to look at himself in the mirror.

_"I really am growing._", he thought seriously.

"The times they are a-changing." he muttered as he stepped into the shower, and laughed at his on joke.

He heard a dull thump come from his bedroom, and knew Holly was making herself comfortable on his bed.

The thought of her making herself comfortable on his bed made him shiver.

_If only, if only._

He stood there, letting the hot water pound against his forehead, and began to think of what might have been.

He thought about the way her lips had touched his, the way he seemed to drift into a dream-like trance as they had kissed one another.  
He thought about the way they had stared into each others eyes, mesmerized by one another. The feeling of warmth they both shared.  
And, once again, he saw the pain and horror that had crossed her eyes as she'd realized he'd lied to her. The cold anger and hatred that had rolled off her in thick waves as she'd sat in front of him in the shuttle cock-pit.

His throught closed, as he remembered it all.

_Why did I have to lie to her? I didn't have to hurt her to save mother...mum, I mean. She would have helped me anyway, even with her orders not to. And besides, when was the last time she obeyed a direct order?_

Artemis sighed. He'd made his mistake, and now he was going to stop at nothing to fix it. He wouldn't just give up.

_I've had the best moment of my life with her, I'm not simply going to let things rest like this._

At that exact moment, there was a loud knock on the bathroom door.

Artemis gasped and backed up against the shower wall, shocked out of his daze.

"Arty, are you ok?" Holly asked, her voice layered slightly with worry.

"I'm fine Holly, why do you ask?" he questioned shakily as he pulled away from the wall.

"I was just checking to see if your alright. You've been in there for over Fifteen minutes! I thought that you might be..."

Artemis' eyes widened. Fifteen minutes? It certainly hadn't felt that long. He must have been deeper than he first thought.

"I'm perfectly fine captain." he reassured her, being unconsciously patronizing, "I'm on my way out now."

To prove his point, he slammed his hand down on the shower handle, stopping the steady stream of water in its tracks.

He stepped out the shower and grabbed a towel. He spared a fleeting moment to look at the door, looking in the general direction of his elven friend.

_I'd better think of something soon, because I don't think I can wait much longer._

**So that's it!What do you all think?! I took the advice given to me (Thanks by the way! I appreciate your help), and this is my latest creation! Sorry this one took so long, but I had alot on my plate! I don't have anything to do tomorrow, so hopefully I''ll publish the next chapter then. Thanks again to all of you for your awesome reviews! And please, for those of you who haven't rated and reviewed, please don't be shy! I'm open to comments and advice (but please, no rude or offensive comments! I may be open, but, once again, I'm not THAT open!).**


	4. Meet my Mother

**Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews! You guys are awesome! I've had my afternoon off, and this is what I have for you! I really hope you like it!**

**But before I start, I'd like to thank my friends and spectacular English teacher for their encouragement and support (I know, that was really random, but I think I should give them credit were its due, and I think I might be hung from a high poll if I don't, hehehe)!**

**Meet my Mother**

Holly heard the shower go off in the bathroom and stepped away from the door.

_He's alright, nothing to worry about._

Holly looked around and found her bag, lying next to the bed. She reached down to pick it up, and stopped, noticing her reflection in the mirror.

She straightened up, cursing under her breath. She glared at the image before her, thinking that maybe if she stared at it long enough it would go away.

_I look ridiculous! I look like a damn dynamite show girl! Now all I need is a laser gun and poisoned lipstick!_

She shuddered. There was no way anyone would catch her wearing that absurd face paint! What on earth drove people to walk around looking like a doll? It just wasn't natural.

She did a quick rotation, pulling a face.

"No wonder Artemis kept staring at me. I look like I just stepped out of a teen aged adrenaline junkie's best dream!" she muttered to herself in disgust.

With a sigh she dropped onto Artemis' bed and buried her head in her hands. There was no denying that she had enjoyed his appreciative glances. She'd really liked they way his eyes had widened as they'd taken a ride down her body.

She tried to snap out of it, but she just couldn't forget the look in his eyes as she'd drawn level with him, the look of longing he'd had.

_Stop thinking like this, you've got to think about Opal! You know that your stay isn't going to pass uneventfully! You might not even get the chance to wear the clothes you've brought along!_

Holly sat there, so deep in thought that she hadn't even heard the bedroom door open.

A person slipped into the room, closing the door neatly behind her.

But this time Holly caught the movement in the corner of her eye.

She shot up onto her feet, her hand going for her Neutrino sidearm.

But she gasped, freezing were she stood, already beginning to shield.

"No need for that, dear. I know all about you." said Angeline Fowl, smiling at her.

Unfortunately for him, Artemis chose this particular moment in time to step out the bathroom, dressed in his normal suit and a wide grin on his face.

The smile disappeared as he took in the scene before him, Holly staring at his mother in wide eyed shock, and his mother simply smiling sweetly down at her.

He sighed heavily, "Well, I knew this was bound to happen sooner or later. Holly, meet my mother, Angeline Fowl. Mum, this is Captain Holly Short, my long time close friend and loyal companion."

Holly snapped around to glare at him, cold anger and shock in her mismatched eyes. Artemis almost took a step back.

"There'd better be a very good reason for this, Artemis." she growled.

Artemis suddenly felt relieved. She was still using his first name, which was always a good sign.

"It's good, trust me. But please don't jump to conclusions."

Holly sighed and sat down, looking from him to his mother and back.

"Fine, tell me before I do something I might regret later."

He nodded, and proceeded to tell her about how while his mother was being possessed by Opal, she shared all of Opals memories, and that she could still see while everything transpired.

"And so I had to tell her everything. There was no point in lying, and she knew all about the People already."

Holly sat there, her head in her hands, listening to it all. Finally, she looked up, her face sad.

"You do know that we have to mind wipe her now don't you?"

"No! You can't! Its impossible for you to mind wipe her now. The results could be catastrophic! Mother's simply been through to much for that!"

"I agree with Arty. And even if it was a safe procedure, I wouldn't consent to it. A mother has the right to know what happens to her son." piped in Angeline, speaking for the first time since the discussion started.

Holly sighed, and looked up at Artemis.

"I can't believe I'm doing this, but once again, I'm taking another bullet for you. If I got shot once for every time I've helped you like this, I'd be riddled with bullets!"

Artemis smiled warmly down at her, "Once again Holly, thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I think I have a pretty good idea." she muttered under her breath, averting his warm gaze.

Angeline reached out a soft hand, smiling happily at her, "It's wonderful to meet you Holly. You've been a close friend of Artys for a while now, and have saved his life many a time, for which I am truly grateful. All this time I thought my little Arty was all alone and friendless in this big world, but thankfully I was mistaken. You've also saved my life before, and returned my sanity to me. I don't know how to thank you enough"

Holly shook her hand warmly, also slightly shocked by the thanks she was receiving.

"It was my pleasure. I've enjoyed being by Artys side. He constantly keeps me on my toes." She turned and grinned wickedly at him, "Artys a real keeper."

Angeline turned to face him as well, "He is, isn't he."

Artemis blushed slightly under the two women's gaze.

"Right, I think I'll leave you two now. I'll get Butler to bring your breakfast up here for you. I'll try and keep the twins and Timmy away from you guys, just to keep things safe. Once again, I enjoyed meeting you Holly." smiled Angeline, and with that she walked over to the door.

But she froze, and turned around to face them.

"You two have better behave yourselves. Don't do anything I wouldn't approve of." she warned.

And with that, she left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Artemis and Holly were silent for a while, blushing from Angeline's last comment.

Finally, Artemis sat down next to her, still blushing slightly.

"Well, that went better than I first thought! And thank you Holly, again, for sparing my mother. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself knowing that she'd lost all memory of what has happened."

Holly smiled at him, and Artemis felt his stomach do a somersault.

"It will mean another grueling trip down to Internal Affairs, but I can handle it. And besides, like you said, what would you do without me."

Artemis smiled back, feeling warm all over. She was right. What would he do without her?

Artemis thought about it, and shivered, immediately dismissing the thought. It was just too painful to think about.

They stared at one another for a moment, both wishing they could sit like this for longer.

But they knew they couldn't. The big question was still hovering in the air, waiting to be asked.

Finally Holly broke the silence.

"Well," she said, hopping to her feet, "we've still got a very important decision to make. I think you know what that decision is."

"Who gets the bed." he stated.

"Exactly!" she cheered, grinning triumphantly, "And I think it would only be fair if I get the honors of sleeping there."

"What?!" he cried out, jumping to his feet, "But it's my bed!"

"So? I'm a guest; you need to show me some hospitality!"

"Not a chance! You came here, I didn't bring you here!"

"What difference does that make?! And besides, I'm here to protect _you_! The least you can do is offer me your bed!"

"Aah, but on the contrary dear captain, you are in as much danger as I am."

Holly stopped and frowned, "What!?"

"Opal will let nothing stand in her way to get to me, and seeing as your protecting me, you're in danger to!"

"Do you want me to leave, because I can do that?"

"No!" he shouted, sounding slightly more desperate than he would have liked.

"Fine, then let me have the bed!"

"No! My room, my rules."

"I'm a woman, you're supposed to be a gentleman and graciously back off!"

"I'm younger, so you're supposed to be the proper adult and let me take the bed. And besides, I can ask Butler to bring up a mattress for you! There the best."

"If there the best, you can take it!?

"Because it's my bed!"

"So what!"

Why don't we share?"

They both turned to the king sized bed, and then turned back again.

"No!" they both shouted together.

"Wait, this obviously isn't working. Let's just share the bed. You take one half, I take the other. It's definitely big enough for both of us. That way we're both happy." Artemis suggested hopefully.

Holly thought about it for a minute.

"Fine, it's a deal."

Artemis grinned. At last, something they were both sure of.

* * *

**So, what do you all think?! I thought you'd all like the fight scene. Unfortunately, I'm going on a school camp this weekend, so this is the last chapter for now. Sorry guys! I don't like it any more than you do! A whole weekend without my story. I think I'm going to die! But have no fear, for I WILL BE BACK! See you all soon!**


	5. Unexpected

**Hey guys! I'm SO sorry that I didn't update sooner, but I've been really busy for the past few days. I've been busy dancing and singing in a musical for the whole week! But don't worry, I'm back now, and I hope you guys think this chapter was worth the wait! Thank you once again for the awesome reviews!**

**But I must warn you, I do not own the characters in this fanfic. They belong to Eoin Colfer!**

**Unexpected**

Artemis sat in his study, staring at the computer screen. He read through the numbers again, just barely taking them in.

He sighed, and closed the financial documents before him. It was all essentially useless information. All he needed to know was if the Fowl finances were safe and secure. Thankfully, they were.

He turned around and looked out the window.

_She would have reached the clearing by now._ He thought, staring off into the distance.

While they had been eating breakfast, Artemis and Holly had discussed whether or not it would be safe for her to leave the manor to perform the Ritual. Finally, after some heavy debate, they had both agreed that the chances of Opal attacking right now were seriously low.

Unfortunately, they had no idea how wrong they were.

* * *

Holly touched down lightly in the clearing, making a soft thump as her feat meet the ground. Once again she had to marvel at her new suit. She had barely felt herself hit the ground. She frowned slightly. That could become a problem later.

But she pushed the thought aside, and carefully removed her helmet. She felt the tips of her ears, and was surprised to find that they were perfectly smooth and flack free.

Holly grinned, and silently blessed Foaly.

"Honestly Foaly, what would I do without you?" she chuckled ruefully.

She would never tell him to his face, he was air headed enough already, but she would never have gotten anywhere if it wasn't for him and his gadgets. The thought of Foaly not being there to guide her with all his strange and wonderful technology literally sent shivers down her spine. Yes, she'd been in that type of situation before, but they always ended up in disaster.

But there was also another person who had always been there for her. Someone safe enough for her to call her best friend. Despite his irritating nature and flaws, and all the nails in his coffin, Artemis Fowl was probably her closets companion. Yes, he had kidnapped her and lied to her, but she had forgiven him for all those things. And he had saved her life countless times, so there was another gold star for him.

And there was another reason for the quick forgiveness, but she decided not to dwell on it too much at the moment.

Smiling from ear to ear, Holly glanced around the clearing. Relatively certain she was alone, she began to kneel down, taking the small brown acorn out her pocket.

But she froze abruptly, the smile freezing on her face, as something caught her eye.

Once again, her smile was replaced with a frown, as her eyes focused on the small object in the distance.

It was small and silver, the sunlight reflecting off its smooth surface. It was the size of a very large football, but slightly more streamlined. And it was shooting through the air, moving swiftly like a small rocket.

Holly took a shaky step back, feeling the blood drain from her cheeks.

_No, it can't be! Please no, please! Not now!_

She lunged down and grabbed her helmet. She slammed it down onto her head and glared at the small object, praying she was wrong.

"Identify." she said in gnommish, trying to keep her cool. She had always been well known for her ability to remain calm in the most stressful of situations.

"Identifying object" purred Lily Frond, her voice emanating from the helmet speakers.

Holly almost growled. Lily Frond was the most irritating, obnoxious bimbo under the earth. How she had even gotten into the LEP was a complete mystery.

"Object identified." the voice purred, and Holly felt even more angered by her cool, drawn out speech," The object is a small bio-bomb. Commonly used by the LEP to eliminate threats. Designed to kill the target quickly and painlessly. Very environmentally friendly"

Holly's anger dissipated instantly. Her worst fears were confirmed.

"Time before impact?" she asked, unable to hide the slight tremble in her voice,

"Approximately thirty seconds." the voice purred, blissfully unaware of the full impact of its words.

The bimbo was right. The bio-bomb had already entered the clearing, rocketing straight towards the elf.

"OOOOOOHHH SHIIIIIIIITT!" Holly cried out as she turned around and began to run, activating her wings.

She kicked off the ground, shooting into the air. She sent her brainwaves out to the wings, pushing them to go faster.

But they didn't seem fast enough.

The bio-bomb was right on her heels, almost seeming to bite out at her.

Holly pushed harder, till finally the wing reached their full potential, rocketing her forwards.

The world blurred around her, flashing different shades and hues. Holly sent a call out to Artemis' communicator, praying he'd pick up.

He picked up on the second ring.

"Holly, what's the problem?" he asked, his voice layered with concern.

She explained her situation, ducking and weaving through the air, desperately trying to lose the bomb.

Artemis was silent for a minute, mulling over what he'd learnt about her predicament.

Holly waited patiently. She knew Artemis needed silence to concentrate on his plans and to work with what he knew.

Finally, he broke the silence.

"Is there any way to disarm it" he asked seriously.

"Not from my position, no." she stated, trying to sound calm and collected.

"Can you try to out maneuver it?"

Holly's calm and patience shattered.

"What do you think I've been trying to do for the past few minutes!?" she snapped, letting her frustration out on her poor friend.

Artemis went silent.

Holly immediately felt guilt well up, clawing at her heart.

_He's only trying to help! You should be grateful you even have help right now! _She chided herself.

"Arty, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that, but I'm getting nervous now." she apologised, once again trying to force her wings to move faster.

"It's perfectly fine Holly. But surely you must have been in a similar situation at one stage or another."

Holly thought about it. He was right. She must have been in a situation like this before.

"Let me just see if I.."

She cut off short, a thought hitting her like a speeding train.

And at that precise moment, Holly knew exactly what she had to do.

She dived down into a nearby clearing, taking off her helmet as she landed.

She spun round, holding her helmet out in front of her.

"How many more times do I have to do this!?" she muttered under her breath.

It was at that moment that the bio-bomb soared into the clearing, stopping directly in front of her.

A light on the nose flashed red. Seconds till detonation.

Holly launched into the air, slamming her helmet down onto the bomb.

She pushed it down onto the grass, and dropped down to her haunches on top of her helmet.

She felt like a swear toad perched on a large mushroom.

She muttered a quick prayer, trying to keep the helmet it place.

The bomb exploded, and Holly held on, desperate to trap the light.

But she knew she couldn't hold on forever.

Suddenly the helmet flew skywards, and the deep blue light was free, reaching up to grab her.

Holly shoot upwards, her wings bursting into action. She rocketed towards the clouds, trying to make herself as streamlined as possible, arching her head backwards and pushing her arms to her sides.

The deadly light followed her, leaving death in its wake. It slowly crept up her legs, leaving a horrible feeling of cold nothingness in her legs. But her magic pushed the feeling aside, fighting to keep her alive.

Holly felt panic bubble up inside her as the feeling of nothingness spread up her legs, coming dangerously close to the vital parts of her body. Any closer and she'd drop out the sky, dead before she even hit the ground.

_Oh please no! I can't die now! This just can't happen. I won't let it end like this!_

She pushed harder than ever, desperate to escape.

Abruptly, the light flashed out and died, leaving only sparks and tendrils in the air.

Holly arched backwards, doing a backwards loop in the air till she faced downwards, looking down into the forest below.

She felt anger begin to over come her, as she realized the number of animals that would have died in the blast. The poor things hearts would have stopped right there where they stood as the bio-bombs rays hit them.

_How many more have to die before that monster gets put away for good?_

Realization dawned upon her, as the full reality of the situation hit home.

_She's been waiting for me to leave. She was just waiting for me to leave Arty unguarded. She wants to make sure I'm gone before she takes out Artemis!_

Holly spun round on the spot, kicking her wings to their limits for the third time that day, heading in the direction of Fowl Manor.

She had to reach him, before someone else did.

* * *

"Holly! Holly answer me! Are you OK!?" Artemis shouted into the communicator, worry for his friend busting through his cool facade.

The only answer he received was static, crackling and whirring.

Artemis felt panic surge up inside him like a wave, threatening to crush the air from his lungs.

He typed in a few codes with shaking fingers, hoping and praying.

Then he tried again, calling out to his elven friend.

Now even the static was gone, leaving only dead, painful silence.

Artemis turned to his window, looking out for any sign of his companion.

_I need to get to my bedroom. That's the first place she'll be._

He turned round, beginning to head for the door.

But froze, as something cold and metallic pushed into the back of his head.

His eyes widened slightly in shock, then narrowed in anger and dislike.

"Opal Koboi. How nice of you to drop by." he growled, not bothering to hide the cold anger in his voice.

A wicked, cold laugh cracked through the air like a whip, sending Artemis' blood cold.

"Well Arty, I'm shocked! I thought you'd have more manners than that!" chuckled Opal, her voice sadistic and devoid of compassion.

Artemis scowled,"I only have manners for living beings. Ones that actually have a heart. You, on the other hand, are lower than dirt. You don't deserve respect." he spat, his voice like venom.

There was startled silence, then Opal sneered, her voice layered with hatred.

"Well you do surprise me. I never thought you had it in you. You are truly a marvel, Fowl. But, that is exactly why you're going to die today."

Artemis laughed, hoping she didn't hear the slight tremble in his voice.

"That's what you always say. Then I either save myself, or Holly comes to my rescue."

Opal gave a small, evil chuckle.

"Well, I've made sure that's not going to happen today. I made certain your little over protective girlfriend wont come charging in here. And I must say, she really did go out with a bang!"

Artemis' cool facade shattered, and was immediately replaced with sorrow and rage. Never had such emotions hit him so hard.

He ground his teeth together, shivering with rage and anger. Unshed tears filled his eyes. He shook them away, feeling the gun scrape the back of his head. He wouldn't make her happy. He was not going to collapse for her pleasure and amusement.

But, that didn't necessarily mean he'd hide his anger.

"You'll pay for this. Hell isn't even hot enough for you!" he growled, his voice trembling.

Opal laughed, her voice only fueling his anger.

"You continue to amaze me! You really are quite the charmer, aren't you Fowl?"

"The LEP won't rest till they find you."

Opal grinned wickedly.

"Oh, by this evening, I don't think I'll have to worry about the LEP anymore."

Artemis frowned. _Whats that supposed to mean?_

But Opal stopped suddenly.

"No more talk, Fowl. It's time to end this. You should have killed me when you had the chance. But I won't make your mistakes. I plan to finish what I started. And I must say, Fowl, you're lives have officially run out."

Opal cocked the gun, and Artemis' eyes widened.

_I'm going to die. Holly's gone. There's so many things I never got to tell her... or do to her._

In his minds eye, Artemis saw her, standing by the river in her little black dress, smiling from ear to ear.

The sight made his throat close.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the room. There was a gasp from behind him and the cold metallic feeling was gone.

Artemis took a step forwards and spun around.

Two fairies were lying on the floor, wrestling desperately with one another.

His knees almost buckled with relief at the sight of Holly, but he pushed it aside, focusing his attention on the other fairy.

He was shocked to see it was an elf. Male to be correct. He was dressed in a black suit, and had a communicator strapped to his chest.

_So that's how she did it._

The male elf rolled onto Holly, trying to suppress her. Holly wasn't going to succumb so easily, and in return, she played dirty, and kneed the unfortunate elf in his groin.

The elf gasped, freezing on the spot. Holly took advantage of the opportunity, and whacked him straight between the eyes.

The elf was unconscious before he landed on top of her.

With a grunt, Holly rolled him off, and got shakily to her feet. It was then that Artemis noticed blood sliding slowly down the side of her face. She had obviously cut herself as she'd crashed through the study window.

Artemis took the few steps needed to reach her.

"You're bleeding. Do you need help?"

She looked up at him and gave a weak smile, "Thanks. Could you maybe pick the glass out the wound? I can't heal till the glass is safely out." she asked hopefully, turning her back to him for better access to the wound.

Artemis stood behind her and carefully pushed aside her auburn her. The sight that greeted him made him wince.

"Does it hurt?" he asked quietly, and immediatly repremanded himself for asking such a stupid question.

She laughed shakily, leaning back to rest against him, "Yea, it really does. I guess it's pretty bad, isn't it?"

Artemis tried not to notice how warm she was, or how close she was. Instead, he concentrated on the job at hand.

They stood there for a full three minutes, Holly resting against Artemis while emotions churned inside him, as he slowly removed the glass from her head. When he was done, she leaned forward, shaking the glass out her hair and healing herself at the same time.

When she stood up straight, Artemis wrapped his arms around her and drew her close, letting the wave of emotion crash over him. And instead of stepping away, Holly turned around in his arms and embraced him, feeling exhausted and happy at the same time.

They stood there for a while, holding each other, taking what they needed. Finally, Artemis broke the silence.

"I thought you were dead." he whispered.

Holly squeezed him lightly, "I thought I'd get here and find you..." she shivered, not even able to say the word.

A thought struck Artemis, almost knocking him over.

_People say that before you die, your life flashes before your eyes. Instead of my life, Holly flashed before my eyes instead. But maybe that's the whole point. Holly is my life. She always has been._

The thought was so warm, so sweet. It made him want to smile till his jaw hurt.

After what felt like a life time, Holly stepped away and turned to gaze at the elf lying on the floor.

But as she did, a frown creased her forehead, and she bent down to get a closer look at him.

Then a startled gasp escaped her, and Artemis dropped down next to her, curious.

He looked at the elf's chest, and his eyes filled with shock.

A golden LEP acorn, similar to the one on Holly's suit, twinkled up at them, sparkling in the light.

"He's a part of the LEP." Artemis breathed, not believing his own words.

Holly nodded, "Yes. And I know him! His name's Kevin Robins. He's a captain. I chatted to him once in the cafeteria!"

She reached out and opened on of Kevin's eyes. The pupil was ragged and jagged.

"Opal mesmerized him." she growled, a disgusted look on her face.

_So that's what she meant. That's why she doesn't have to worry about the LEP anymore. The LEP belongs to her now!_

At this thought, Artemis' eyes filled with dread.

"Oh...d'arvit." he swore.

Holly looked up at him, "Arty, what's the matter?"

He looked down at her, not wanting to say the next words.

"Holly, I think we've got some serious problems."

* * *

**Hey guys, what did you all think? Once again, (please don't kill me) I'm sorry it took me SO long to update, but I've been really busy! But I hope this chapter was worth the wait! Oh, and some of you might be wondering when the real romance is going to start, but don't worry (wicked grin). The next chapters going to have some...interesting surprises. So much so, I'm thinking of changing the rating to M. Please tell me if you think this is a bad idea. The last thing I want is trouble. Thanks again for all the awesome reviews!**


	6. Sworn Revenge

**Hey! Thanks for the reviews! I saw how eager you guys are to read the next chapter, so I decided to start first thing on the new chapter! And here it is! But I must warn you, the next bit might be a bit dramatic, so please bare that in mind when you read it. I am, for one, a particularly dramatic person, so I thought this chapter would fit nicely…I hope I'm not wrong (nervous laugh).**

**Sworn Revenge**

Artemis and Holly sat in the holding cell opposite Kevin Robins, waiting patiently for him to return to consciousness.

They were both exhausted. The days events had already decided to catch up on them, and they were both feeling the strain.

Despite his fatigue, Artemis' mind was racing.

_What are we going to do?_

He looked at Holly, sitting next to him, face in her hands.

Earlier, when he'd told her the full scale of their predicament, she had not taken it well. The thought of herself having to go up against her fellow friends and comrades had left her worn out and beaten.

He felt an overwhelming urge to reach out and hold her like he'd done in the study, but he knew he couldn't.

_I have to do it soon. I can't take this anymore. I can't just sit here and wait for this to sort itself out! If I want her so badly, I have to work for her._

This thought made him nervous. How would he do it? When should he do it?

_What if I do it wrong!?_

_What if…_

He shook himself.

_Stop acting like a hormonal teenager! I'll know what to do when the time's right!_

His inner battle was disrupted when Kevin let out a low moan

Holly's head shot up, and she was instantly alert, gazing intently at the elf. Artemis also sat forward in his seat, waiting with baited breath.

Kevin moaned again, swinging his head slowly from side to side, trying to come out of it.

Finally, just as Artemis thought they'd have to get a bucket of cold water, Kevin's eyes slowly opened.

The elf seemed dazed, as he looked around him, then his expression changed from dazed to confusion, as he took in the world around him. Then realization kicked in, and his eyes filled with horror and shock.

Holly sat forwards, a gentle look on her face.

"Kevin, it's alright. You're mesmerized. We're going to think of a way to help you."

But Kevin just sat there, trembling violently. But besides that, he didn't even move a muscle.

Artemis sat there, frowning slightly.

_What on earth is he doing? He's barely moving._

Holly seemed perplexed as well, sitting on the edge of her seat.

They sat there in silence for nearly a minute, watching Kevin's bizarre behavior.

Then they both noticed the purple tinge creeping into his pale face.

Realization hit them both like a baseball bat.

"No!!" cried Holly, lunging towards the suffocating elf.

Artemis followed soon after, trying desperately to help wherever he could.

But, it was all just too little, done too late.

For a second, Kevin's eyes widened, as he acknowledged what was happening. He looked out at them, the light slowly leaving his eyes.

Then he was gone.

Holly sat on her knees before the dead elf, frozen in place, to shocked to move.

Artemis too was shocked, but he slowly regained his composure.

The same couldn't be said for his elven companion.

Artemis knew what it was like for a fairy to loose a life. It was far worse for them than what it was for a human. An elf could feel the life slip away, feel the warmth leave the world as someones heart beat for the last time.

He knew, for he too had felt it in the time tunnel. He'd felt Holly die, her sweet warmth leaving the world around him.

He looked down at her, as her shoulders shook with a single sob. She might not have known Kevin very well, but he was still a person, and no fairy could take the death of another well.

_Oh...Holly_

He reached a comforting hand down to her shoulder, hoping to lend her his condolences.

But she stood up abruptly, and turned around swiftly to face him.

She was shaking with rage as tears leaked from her mismatched eyes. Her expression was so cold and hard that Artemis nearly took a shaky step back.

"When I find Opal, I'm going to make her pay! She has no right to steal life from anyone or anything. She will feel the pain of every soul who's died at her hand." she growled, her voice trembling. Others had died before, not to mention Julius, but this new death had obviously pushed her over the edge.

Artemis nodded seriously, "Your right. She must of told him to kill himself if captured. To be perfectly honest, I've never heard anything so dispicable in my life." he took a careful glance at Kevin, and grimaced.

"What a terrible way to die." he whispered quietly.

"And Koboi will pay for every second of pain she caused him." she muttered, rubbing her eyes with the heel of her hand.

Artemis reached out and pulled her to him for the second time that day, giving her as much comfort as he could. And he hoped that she wouldn't reject him now.

She didn't disappoint him.

She rested her head on his chest, and her shoulders slacked, as if she'd had the weight of the world resting on her shoulders.

Artemis felt his throat close painfully, as he looked down at his poor, tired friend.

_She's been through so much...but so have I._

Finally she looked up, her eyes calm and thankful. The look on her face made her look angelic to him, and Artemis had to resist the urge to pull her tighter towards him.

"Thank you, Arty." she said, smiling up at him.

Reluctantly, Artemis let her go, taking a small step back.

"My pleasure, Holly. I'll do anything for a friend."

She grinned, and he felt his stomach do a back flip.

"I think you may just be doing to much." she said wryly.

Artemis frowned slightly, confused by this statement.

_What's that supposed to mean?_

Before he could put this thought into words, the door to the holding cell opened, and Butler stepped into the room, a grave look on his face.

Artemis turned to his old friend, earlier questions forgotten.

"Aah, old friend. I believe you saw the events that took place earlier on the plasma screens, right?"

Butler had been assigned to the observation room, so he could watch what took place from a safe distance. He was still recovering from his heart attack yesterday. Just another reason to hate Opal all the more.

Butler nodded gravely, glancing at the body.

"I did. And I most certainly did not like what I saw. That poor man was just one of Koboi pawns. She should not go unpunished."

Holly scowled, "Don't worry, I swore I'd see to that."

Artemis sighed. This could become a problem. He just hoped Holly wouldn't loose control in a dangerous situation. But he knew that Holly was a professional, and wouldn't put others lives at risk to get her own revenge.

Or at least, that's what he hoped.

Butler looked at Holly, "What do you wish to do with him?"

Holly looked down at Kevin, and gave a small shiver.

Her shiver made a small wave of anger well up inside Artemis, but he pushed it down firmly.

"We need to keep him in a safe place. When this is all over, we can have him recycled. The least we can do is give him a decent burial."

Butler nodded and walked over to Kevin, lifting him up in his arms.

He turned towards the door, but stopped, turning back to them.

"I'll bring lunch up to your bedroom. Is there anything else I can get you two?" he asked, smiling slightly.

Holly nodded, her face cast in stone, "Yes, thank you. Some fruit juice and aspirins if you have." she thought silently for a second, "And a key to Hell."

Butler's expression changed instantly, and he nodded seriously.

"I'll see what I can do."

* * *

**Later that day, 4:45 pm.**

Artemis sat on his bed, reading a book, while Holly listened to music on an iPod next to him, humming along to the tune.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, checking her progress.

She had finally managed to calm down, and was relaxing, despite todays events. He had to admit that he was rather impressed.

Needless to say, everything about her seemed impressive to him.

She had changed out of her suit, and wore a pair of dark jeans and a emerald green tank top. She looked stunning. The minute she'd walked out the bathroom, she'd sent his mind racing, his thoughts sending his skin hot, and causing his cheeks to flash red.

He listened to her humming, hitting each perfect note, then tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

Holly pressed pause, and turned to look at him, a smile on her face.

"Sorry to disrupt, but may I ask, what song are you listening to?"

She smiled wickedly, "It's called Glory of Love."

Her words sent his mind whirling, and he had to try hard not to grin.

"I believe I might have heard it before."

She smiled warmly, "You should of. It's a beautiful song. Some mud men really do have talent."

With that, the pressed play, diving straight back into the music.

Artemis watched her for a second longer, then turned back to his book, grinning from ear to ear.

Then, unconsciously, Holly began to sing the chorus, to deep in the song to notice. When he heard her, Artemis whipped his gaze away from his book to stare at her, mesmerized.

_I am a man, who will fight,  
For your honour.  
And I'll be the hero, your dreaming of.  
We'll live forever,  
Knowing together that we,  
Did it all,  
For the glory of love.  
Yes we're gonna live forever,  
Knowing together that we,  
Did it all,  
For the glory of love._

_We did it all for love!_

She sang beautifully, capturing every note, send his heart into a frenzy. The words made him want to hold her, to sing along with her, to show her how true those words were.

Abruptly she stopped, her cheeks going red. She switched off the iPod, and turned to look at him, biting her lip.

"Oops." she muttered under her breath.

Artemis turned away, embarrassed at being caught staring. Then turned even redder when he thought about how it would feel to bite that lip for her.

He shook himself, feeling like he was going to scream.

Holly thought desperately, trying to think of a topic to fill the awkward silence.

She looked down at the bed she was sitting on, and the perfect topic came to mind.

"So, which side of the bed do I sleep on tonight?"

Artemis was thrown by this random question. He desperately tried to pull his thoughts together.

"Um...er...I'm not sure."

"Well, I get the window spot. So at least that's sorted out."

Artemis whipped around to stare at her.

"Hold on, that's my spot! You can take the other side!"

"No way! Why do you get to choose?!"

Artemis stared at her incredulously, "Because it's my bed!"

"Oh no, not this again! Let me remind you that I'm here to protect you _again! _So it's at least logical that I should be the one closest to the window, so I can protect _you_!"

"What?! It takes you two seconds to reach the window side from my side! What difference does two seconds make?"

"By the way, alot can happen in two seconds! I know, lets play rock, paper, scissors for it!"

"Fine, but I'm only doing this because I know I'll win."

Holly grinned, "Whatever Arty."

"OK, lets begin."

They both started at the same time.

"Rock, Paper, scissors!"

Holly jumped into the air in glee, "Yes! Neutrino beats rock! I win!"

"That's cheating! Since when can you use a Neutrino!?"

"Since I said so!"

Artemis sighed, defeated, "Fine, I wont argue. At least I have a bed."

Holly grinned triumphantly, "Exactly!"

Artemis rolled his eyes, but the grin still spread across his face.

_Oh, this going to be fun!_

**So there it is! Sorry for the sudden jump from topic to topic, but it's the best I could do. I hope you guys enjoyed it! Oh, and by the way, the romance REALLY starts in the next chapter! And , I've updated my profile, so if anyone ones to check it out, be free to read it! But I'm not really finished with it yet, so please bare with me! I promise I'll update soon!**


	7. My Prince of Thieves

**Hey again! I promised to update again soon, so here's the next chapter! I really hope you guys enjoy it! Thanks for the reviews! You guys are the best! And just so you guys dont get disappointed, I've changed the rating to M, just to be on the safe side. The last thing I want is to get in trouble. But because I'm new to all this, if you guys could tell me the story has been given the wrong rating, and it can still remain T, your help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the inconvenience (embarrassed smile)!**

**My Prince of Thieves.**

Artemis lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. He just couldn't drift off, no matter how hard he tried.

He tried to shut his mind down, so that sleep would come. But thought after thought raced into his mind, chasing one another around in his head.

But, technically, all the thoughts were the same, and they all involved a certain female elf.

He turned over, and peered over the small wall of cushions, trying to get a glance at that elf.

Holly lay on the other side, facing him, curled up like a small kitten. She gave a small sigh in her sleep, and snuggled deeper into the blanket, a content smile on her face.

Artemis felt his heart melt, as he gazed longingly at her, watching her sleep.

_She looks so...peaceful. And so beautiful. If only..._

He almost moaned, the wave of want and longing crushing him, making him hurt inside.

_Oh gods._ he thought, trying to ignore his aching heart.

_I want her. I need her!_

He was suddenly shocked out of his thoughts, disrupted by Holly's low moan.

"Arty..." she moaned as she cuddled up to something in her dreams, the word riding on a breath.

Artemis shivered, the word echoing in his head.

Suddenly, an idea crept into his head.

He slowly removed the cushion separating them, watching her cautiously, watching out for any sign of her waking.

But she just lay there, sleeping peacefully.

He sighed under his breath, quietly relieved.

Then, as his heart beat a loud, steady rhythm in his head, he leaned down, and pressed his lips to her forehead, his eyes slowly closing.

He stayed in that position, not even daring to breathe, as he drank in the smell, the feel of her. His heart was beating so fast and loud, that he was surprised that Holly didn't wake up.

He was wrong.

Finally he pulled away, letting out a quiet breath.

Then he shot backwards, a low, startled cry escaping his lips.

Holly stared up at him, mouth hanging open,her mismatched eyes filled with shock and surprise.

Artemis stared back at her, to shocked and horrified to move.

_Oh gods, what have I done!? What do I do!? What do I say!? What will SHE say!?_

He struggled desperately, trying to regain his composure.

Holly sat up slowly, still staring at him. But her expression had softened slightly, as she gazed at her struggling friend.

"Arty, I think we need to talk." she said gently, reaching out a reassuring hand.

But at that moment, something inside Artemis clicked, and all the loose puzzle pieces fell into place.

_I know now. I know exactly what I have to do._

He looked down slightly, meeting her gaze. He felt determination well up inside him, giving him new found confidence.

But despite this, he still felt...needy.

"Holly..." he murmured, his voice hot and husky, as he shifted slightly towards her.

She frowned slightly, looking up at him.

"Artemis..." she warned, staring hard at him.

But he ignored her, kicking what was left of the pillow wall out the way. He then sat down in front of her, reaching out steady hands.

Holly backed away slightly, "Artemis wait, listen to me." she whispered, uncertainty creeping into her voice.

But Artemis only shook his head, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"No, listen to me." he whispered back, lifting her up and onto his lap.

Holly felt surprised shock creep up inside her. When had Artemis gotten the strength to lift her up?

But this emotion was only one of many, as confusion, longing, fear, happiness, and worry wrestled around inside her heart, threatening to tear her apart, as each emotion tried to gain control of her.

But, to her own shock, she didn't resist him when Artemis lifted her palm to his lips, kissing it gently.

With all the other emotions raging inside him, Artemis took this as a good sign. If she really wanted him to leave her alone, she would of been more than able to push herself away from him, denying him.

_Or maybe she's just to shocked to do anything. _he thought, but he pushed the thought away.

Slowly, deliberately, he kissed his way up her arm, listening to her fast, shallow breathing.

Then he reached her collarbone, and Holly let out a hot, startled gasp.

He grinned against her skin, and remained there for a second longer, then continued upwards, kissing her neck, but moving slower this time, appreciating her.

Holly tried desperately not to moan as his lips brushed her neck, her skin trembling with every touch, barely able to keep it in.

He kissed slowly up her jaw, heading towards her lips, and she held her breath.

But then he stopped, his lips pressed to the corner of her mouth. She almost screamed.

"Do you want me to stop?" he whispered, his lips tickling her skin.

Holly fought desperately, not sure what to say.

_I want him to stop, but I also want him to carry on._

She struggled hard, her heart feeling like it was going to explode.

Then, realization dawned upon her, and she knew the truth.

_I only want him to stop because I'm afraid. I'm afraid of being there for him, afraid of...loving him. But I mustn't! I mustn't be afraid!_

She wrestled again, the truth giving her knew found strength.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Holly broke their silence.

"No." she murmured, shivering, not from the cold, but from the heat that spread up her body.

Artemis felt relief flood through his every nerve. But he sense of victory was overwhelming, almost knocking him senseless.

Holly felt his lips pull back in a triumphant grin, and she held her breath, waiting.

"Good." he said, his own voice coming out shaky.

The he covered her lips with his.

The kiss was soft and sweet at first, but as their heat and longing built up, so did the kiss.

Holly hooked her arms around his neck, and lifted herself slightly, aligning their faces. Artemis responded to her movements, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her towards him. He ran his tongue along her lips, and she complied, meeting his tongue as it crept into her mouth, exploring curiously.

They ran their hands along each other, trying to commit each part of one another to memory. Each touch sent the others heart racing, their skin getting hot to the touch.

Artemis felt thrilled as she responded to each of his touches, moaning and digging her nailing into his skin, sending his heart racing.

Holly held onto him, as they swayed from side to side. She felt overjoyed as he smiled against her mouth, and touched her, his hand sliding sneakily under her night shirt, causing her to gasp out in pleasure.

And she knew that if she'd have to die now, she'd want no more.

_Well, there is something else..._

But she dismissed the thought. Maybe in another time, but for now, she'd have to settle for kisses and touches.

After what felt like forever, they drew apart, gasping and shivering, a dazed look on their faces.

Artemis gave a wry grin, "So how was that?" he asked cagily.

Holly grinned from pointy ear to pointy ear, "Really good."

Artemis gave her a severe frown, making her want to laugh, "What? Only really good?! I was expected something more like extravagant, stunning, earth shattering, orgasmic, sensational, mind blowing, and exhilarating. I think one of those would describe it better than just 'really good'!"

Holly lifted a slim eyebrow, "My my, look who's humble this evening!"

Artemis leaned down and whispered in her ear, "And aren't you the one who needs to give us more credit were it's due?"

Holly shivered slightly as another wave of heat slide down her body.

Artemis grinned wickedly, "I thought so."

Holly smiled, and planted a warm, wet kiss to his lips, sending his nerves on fire.

She pulled away and grinned, "So how was that?" she asked wryly.

He shrugged, "Really good."

Holly, gave a mock gasp, seemingly horrified.

"What?! Really good? I expected something more like extravagant, stunning, earth shattering, orgasmic, sensational, and exhilarating to be more on the mark! But 'really good'? No, no, that just simply won't do!"

Artemis laughed happily, "Not orgasmic, no."

Holly gave a heavy sigh, "Oh well, maybe next time."

Artemis grinned like a boy who'd just discovered he'd been locked inside Disney world overnight.

"Oh joy." he smirked, not a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Holly grinned, climbing off of him and settling down into the sheets.

"Whatever you say, Arty."

Artemis climbed in next to her, spooning up against her. She turned around to face him, nestling her head under his chin.

"Goodnight, my prince of thieves." she whispered, snuggling up to him.

Artemis looked down at her, frowning slightly.

"Prince of thieves? You know those days are over, Holls. These days I steal from the rich, then give the items back to the community. Almost like a Robin hood of sorts."

Holly didn't even look up at him.

"It's still stealing, even if it is a good thing. I love the idea of you being a modern day Robin hood, but you will always be my prince of thieves." she murmured lovingly, kissing his neck gently.

Artemis smiled, "Works for me. I'll be your prince any day." he whispered, his voice layered with happiness and love.

And with that, the two of them drifted into sleep, holding one another.

* * *

**And there it is! Ta-da!! The long awaited romance scene! I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally hope you guys love it! I even feel happy for Arty and Holls (by the way, that's his new nickname for her)! Please, don't be shy to rate and review this chapter! I'm eager to hear what you guys think! Advice is welcomed with open arms! (But please, no rude comments, I'm open to constructive criticism, but I can only take so much! Once again, and I repeat, I'm open to so much, but I'm not THAT open!) Once again, thanks for the reviews, and please, do tell me if my story should remain rated M, or if it can still be rated K! Thank you! I'll update as soon as I get the chance!**


	8. When in Doubt, Phone a Friend

**Hey guys! Here's the next chapter! I sincerely hope you all love it! And thank you to all of you who review my story religiously! You guys are the best! Thanks for all the great reviews and support!**

**But, I'd also like to thank one of my closet friends, who's been by my side, supporting me from day 1! Candice, you're the best! And if you're reading this, I think the nickname Flossy suits you nicely! Mr. Leighton chose well!**

**But anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! ;)**

**When in Doubt, Phone a Friend**

Artemis awoke slowly, and he opened his eyes sluggishly, blinking against the morning sunshine.

He lay there, feeling dazed, confused by the sudden feeling of warmth spreading through him. It was so sweet, so happy, so beautiful, and so…unfamiliar.

_Why do I feel like this? What happened to make me feel so…joyful?_

Suddenly, he noticed his arms were wrapped protectively around someone, and he felt his cheeks heat up.

Then that someone shifted in her sleep, turning around to face him.

When he saw Holly's face, everything clicked into place, and memories from the night before crashed into his head, sending his heart racing. He remembered kissing her, feeling every part of her, the groan that had escaped her as he'd slithered his hand under her nightshirt. She had been so warm, so receptive.

An uncontrollable grin crept onto his face. The feeling of happiness and triumph was so huge that it made him want to cry out.

He uncurled his arm from around her and stroked her cheek, marveling in the feel of her skin. It was just so soft.

_I'm the luckiest guy on the planet!_

Then a thought struck him, making laugh quietly to himself.

_Oh, the luck of the Irish!_

Artemis had never been one to joke like this, but over the years, he had changed, for the better.

_Holly is the one who changed me. If it wasn't for her, who knows what I would of become._

He got a vague idea, but just the thought of it made him shiver.

_I certainly do owe Holly. I owe her dearly!_

Just as this thought occurred Holly stirred, slowly drifting back into consciousness.

Determined to give her a good mornings welcome, Artemis leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, waiting for her to wake up fully.

She soon woke up, and returned the kiss, pressing herself closer to him.

Artemis felt pleasantly surprised as the simple morning kiss became something more, as the kiss became hot and wet, sending their hearts racing.

Artemis rolled onto her, cradling her to his chest. Holly in return wrapped her arms around his neck, and swung her legs upwards, grabbing his hips, so she was literally hanging onto him.

To her surprise, Artemis didn't sag in the slightest, as the heat of the moment provided him with new found strength.

They stood in this position, taking each other in, desperate to feel the heat spread up one another's bodies, both of them feeling painfully needy. The fact that their hips kept grounding into one another's was driving them crazy.

_So close, yet so far._ They both thought together.

Finally, when both participants thought they might faint from lack of oxygen, they pulled away, breathing heavily.

Holly flashed a grin up at him, still clinging to him.

"So, was that orgasmic enough for you?" she asked wryly, cocking an elegant eyebrow.

Artemis smirked, feeling the joy overflow inside his heart.

"I must admit, yes. You have quite a talent."

"Oh aren't you the flatterer!"

Artemis laughed, then winced slightly.

Holly frowned in concern, "What's the matter?"

"Despite my liking for this position, I'm afraid it's quite tiring. I think it would be best if you let go, my dear Spider Monkey.", he said, grinning despite his discomfort.

Holly gave a huff and let go, collapsing onto the bed with a soft thump.

"And there I thought you had some strength in you!" she muttered playfully, putting on a mock scowl.

Artemis kissed her forehead gently, then dropped down next to her.

"Holls, you've always known that the physical has never been my area of expertize."

Holly shrugged, "I guess you're right."

Artemis grinned mischievously, "Oh, but I'm always right, my dear. I thought you would of known that by now!"

Holly rolled her eyes, and prayed for patience. She knew she'd need it if she intended to keep Artemis in one piece from now on.

And she fully intended to keep him in one piece. She had suffered and been alone on way too many nights to give him up. Whatever happened, she was not letting him go. She just needed him to much. She didn't want to imagine what it would be like like without the mud boy by her side.

_I love him too much. He's _mine_! He's my Arty, and I will let _nothing _take him away._

At least, that's what she sincerely hoped.

She looked over at him, and noticed that the smug smile on his face had been replaced with a worried look.

Holly sat up, concern on her face.

"Arty, what's wrong?" she asked, worry creeping into her own voice.

"I'm worried, Holls. I'm not sure if we can just sit here anymore. We need to get out there! The LEP has to be saved. After last night, the LEP would of been taken over completely! We need to think of something."

"Well, have you thought of anything. As you said, you are a genius, so you must of come up with something by now."

Artemis nodded seriously, "I have something, but I just need to work out a few kinks. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Sure. Ask away."

"Is there by any chance a way to defeat the mesmer?"

Holly thought about it for a second, then snapped her fingers.

"You can either mesmer them right out of it, but that demands eye contact. Then you can heal them, but then physical contact is needed, as you well know. Then, a final option, which i think might work better, is by sound. The magic voice of a warlock is strong enough to defeat the mesmer. It's similar to mesmerizing someone, but it doesn't involve eye contact."

"But if you can defeat the mesmer, why did you not heal Kevin?" Artemis asked, and immediately regretted it.

"No time. I was planning to, but when I realized what was happening, it was already to late." she said quickly, not wanting to stay on the topic.

"I'm sorry, Holls. I shouldn't have asked that. I should know that you would of saved him if you had the chance."

"It's alright, Arty. But to answer your question, the most effect thing for us to do is to use the sound method."

"Perfect, and is there a specific time of day when all members of the LEP are at Police Plaza?"

Holly nodded enthusiastically, knowing that his plan was starting to fall into place.

"Yes. At 9:00 pm underground time, which is 12:00 pm here, everyone has to report to Police Plaza for debriefing. _Everyone _must be there,and those that can't have to listen to the debriefing via communicators and helmets."

Artemis smiled slightly, as plans and calculations formed in his head.

"Is there speakers around the building?"

"Yes. The debriefing is made over the intercom. So the officers hear the reports via the speakers. And I know you're going to ask the question, so I'll answer it now. There's a private intercom room next to Commander Kelp's office. If you're careful, you can hack into the network and over ride Troubles speech, replacing the debriefing and reports with you're own records or live feed."

Artemis laughed softly, "You know me too well. And do you know Commander Kelp's password?"

Holly smiled wickedly, "Of coarse! He certainly never told me, but I know for sure what it is. I've known Trouble for a really long time now, so it's easy to guess what it is."

"And, pray tell, what is his password."

Holly gulped hard, pushing away the sudden lump in her throat, "Julius Root."

Artemis reached out and stroked her cheek, calming her.

"Thank you, love." he whispered gently, caressing her affectionately.

Holly nodded firmly, shaking away the hot tears in her eyes. Now wasn't the time to get emotional.

"Next question, please." she stated, determination in her voice.

Artemis removed his hand, and decided it would be best to carry on.

"Were is No.1?"

"He's at my apartment. Foaly told him to go stay there till Opal has been captured. It was a smart idea. And because I doubt Foaly's been mesmerized, I think he won't tell anyone his location. Foaly's most likely been locked in the Operations Booth again, or he's been locked in a cell, so no bodies going to pay much attention to him. But anyway, if you need to contact him, he has a communicator."

"Excellent! I have my plan! By now you should of worked out what my plan is, so there's probably no need to explain."

Holly frowned slightly, "Yes, but all we need now is a inside man. Someone who we can trust to sneak into Police Plaza and place the bug on the intercom computer. But who?"

Artemis grinned, and climbed off the bed, making his way over to the counter.

"When in doubt, phone a friend!" he stated proudly, showing her the communicator.

Holly rolled her eyes, smiling despite herself, "Oh, I should of known!" she muttered.

"Yes you should of." said Artemis, dialing a number into the palm sized device.

Then he held it up to his ear, waiting patiently as the dial tone sang to him.

After a full minute, a gruff voice answered the call.

"Doodah Day and Mulch Diggum's Private investigation agency."

Artemis grinned wryly, recognizing the voice of his old partner in crime.

"Mulch, my pungent friend! It's been a long time!"

"Artemis! And you're right, it has been a long time! But did you bother to call me when you got back? Nooooooo, you decide to let me wait in agony! I'm hurt!"

"I'm so sorry, my hairy friend. But right now, I have a favour to ask of you and your pixie friend. But I think I should explain first."

So he explained how Opal was still at large, and how she had taken over the LEP. He explained that Holly had been sent up to protect him, and of the plan he'd come up with.

Mulch was silent for a while, mulling things over. Finally he spoke, breaking the thoughtful silence.

"So you want me to help you out? That's all very nice, but I want something in return. I'm not just going to risk my life for nothing."

Artemis had expected this, so he wasn't too angered by Mulch's demand for payment.

"Tell you what. I'll buy you as many lobster dinners as you and your friend want. Does that sound fair?"

At first, Mulch had been sickened when Doodah had offered him lobster. But once Doodah had mentioned that lobsters were the 'cockroaches of the occean', he had taken taken to them like a fish out of water.

"Done! I've got all the equipment we need! I've got a hacking bug and camfoil right here with me. I'll go get your demon friend. We'll supply him with a recorder, you know, so we can record his voice. I'll pick you up in a shuttle at 7:00pm. Be ready.

Artemis looked at the clock through the corner of his eye. It was 8:15am, so that left him with an hour and forty five minutes to get ready.

"Thank you, my multitalented friend. I'll pay you in full when this is all over."

"Oh, and Artemis, about the payment. I know how much you'd like to go for dinner with me, and I appreciate it, I really do! But, and I'm sorry Arty, but you're just not my type." Mulch said, and Artemis just got the feeling that the dwarf was grinning from ear to ear.

Artemis looked across at Holly, who was lounging in bed, smiling at him. She gave him a small wave, and Artemis felt his heart skip a beat.

"For your information, Mr. Diggums, I'm already taken." he stated proudly, a smug smile flashing across his features.

Mulch burst into sudden laughter, and Artemis moved the communicator away from his ear, wincing.

"What?! Arty taken? You're pullin' my leg! Who's the lucky lady?! She must either want to be a psychiatrist or a lawyer to date you! Or maybe she wants to work in a mental hospital when she grows up! Either one will do."

Artemis sobered slightly, "You'll meet her soon enough."

"Good, because I _have _to see this girl who's won our dear Arty's heart! She must be crazy, rich, or just has terrible taste in guys. But by the way you sound when you talk about her, she must really be something."

Artemis shook his head, "You have no idea."he muttered, staring at the woman he loved with all his heart.

* * *

**So do you guys like it? I'm sorry I took so long to update, but I was thinking up new ideas! But, while I was thinking of new ideas, I got a idea for another story I'd really like to write! I have a feeling you guys will love the story plan! If you want to hear about my idea, and whats the storyline, write about it in your reviews, and I'll answer all your questions. The story is another A/H, so have no fear! It's also full of comedy, so get ready to laugh at your screen!  
And please, I'm BEGGING you! PLEASE RATE MY STORY! I love to hear what you guys think! But please no rude comments or flamers!  
I promise I'll update soon! Bye bye!**


	9. A Shocking Surprise

**I'm back! And I have the latest chapter right here! I felt like updating as soon as possible, and I had the afternoon free, so I decided to write!**

**Thank you to all of you has reviewed my story so quickly! I'm glad you guys like my story! And I have chosen my next story, so expect to see it soon! It's hopefully going to be a real treat!**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**A Shocking Surprise.**

Artemis stood waiting with Holly on the green lawns outside Fowl Manor, both feeling very reluctant.

Artemis turned to Holly.

"Are you sure you can't come, Holls? You really could if you want to!" he asked hopefully, not wanting to leave her behind.

Holly shook her head sadly, "No Arty. I have to stay. Your family needs protection, and we can't have all our eggs in one basket. We have to split up for now."

Artemis sighed heavily. She was right. But he still didn't want to leave her.

Holly sensed his unease and ducked under his arm, nuzzling up to him.

"I know, love. I don't want to leave you either. But you'll be back soon! And I'll be right here, waiting for you with open arms." She whispered reassuringly.

Artemis circled his arms around her and drew her close, eager to be as near to her as possible till departure.

Holly closed her eyes and leaned against him, suddenly weary. The thought of waiting here all alone seemed unbearable.

They stood there in the morning sunshine, holding one another, as they waited for Mulch to arrive.

Artemis was not only reluctant to leave because he'd miss her, but also because he feared for a her safety. Opal was ruthless, and she could be capable of any act of violence and atrocities. And, most worryingly of all, Opal wasn't afraid to murder to get what she wanted.

_She enjoys it. She enjoys stealing life._

He tried hard to push the worry aside. He'd be back soon enough.

Suddenly, a shuttle shimmered into visibility in front of them, and the side door swung open with a loud bang.

Artemis and Holly both looked up, straining their necks to see their friend.

Mulch stood in the doorway, eyes as wide as saucers, his jaw hanging loose in shock and disbelief.

Artemis smiled happily, "I might be wrong, but I think he's too shocked for words."

Holly nodded seriously, despite the huge grin on her face.

Mulch continued to stare for a short while longer, and then burst into sudden laughter, causing both of them to jump in surprise.

Holly scowled, her happy features turning sour, "I fail to see the hilarity in this, fugitive. We are both _very_ serious!"

Mulch ignored them completely, still laughing uncontrollably.

Artemis smiled, "Maybe he thinks we're joking. Do you want to prove him wrong?"

She looked up at him, raising a auburn eyebrow.

"Honestly, Arty. What do you think the answer is?"

Artemis nodded slowly.

"Right. Should of known."

He leaned down and kissed her, making it as grand as possible.

They kissed for almost a minute, making it as hot and as spectacular as they could, which wasn't too difficult for them.

They then both pulled away, panting, and looked up at the dwarf, their eyebrows raised.

Mulch was silent again, staring at them.

Then, just as he had done the last time, he burst into howls of laughter, falling down onto the grass, clutching his sides.

Artemis frowned down at Mulch, "I don't think he gets the full gravity of the situation."

Holly shook her head sadly, "He never does."

Finally, after what felt like a life time, Mulch got unsteadily to his feat, still shaking with mirth. He pointed at them, grinning wildly, his white tombstone teeth peaking out at them.

"I knew it! Just like I said before, the chick has to be crazy to date you! I was right!"

Holly growled menacingly.

"You obviously want to die today, fugitive. If you have a death wish, tell me, and I'll be your fairy godmother for the day."

Mulch stopped grinning.

"Stop calling me fugitive! My records clean! I'm a free dwarf now!"

Artemis winced, turning away from the pungent dwarf.

"Free, but sadly, not clean, as we can all tell. Mulch, are you allergic to soap and water?"

Mulch frowned in confusion, "Was that a rhetorical question?"

Artemis shook his head, defeated.

"Never mind."

Mulch shrugged, "As you wish, partner."

_Oh dear._

Mulch clapped his hands enthusiastically, rubbing them together.

"Alright lovebirds! Say your fairwells and lets get a move on! We ain't got all day."

Artemis stroked Holly's cheek, "I'll be back soon."

Holly kissed his forehead.

"And I'll be waiting here, my prince. I promise."

He nodded and stepped away, immediately feeling cold and alone.

Artemis walked up to Mulch, and turned around to face Holly, a lump rising in his throat.

Holly growled, glaring at Mulch.

"If he comes back with so much as a scratch, I will make you wish you were sitting in a nice, safe, padded cell!"

Mulch flapped a dismissive hand at her.

"Ya, ya, whatever. I don't know what your so worried about! A few broken bones builds character!"

Artemis gulped loudly.

_Oh dear. Today is going to be a very long day._

**20 minutes later**

Artemis staggered out the shuttle, collapsing onto the marble floor of the shuttle bay.

"I don't think, in all my years, I've _ever _been so glad to reach solid earth!" he gasped, trembling slightly.

Mulch stood next to him, scowling.

"It wasn't that bad!"

Artemis looked up at him, incredulous.

"You were in a booster seat! And you _still_ couldn't see over the dashboard!! You nearly crushed us six times! _Six times_!!"

"Whatever!"

Artemis climbed shakily to his feat.

"You sound like a teenager!"

"And you sound like a old woman! What are you going to do, _Arty._ Report me to your over protective, cop girlfriend?"

Artemis shook his head, giving up, as they walked out into Havens streets.

"Who's picking use up?"

"Father Christmas. Who the heck do you think's picking us up?"

He shook his head sadly.

"Whats wrong now?"

Mulch muttered something about disrespect for short people, and the problem with long distance friendships.

Artemis sighed.

"I'm sorry, my dear friend. You do deserve more respect."

Mulch looked up at him, grinning. His smile sent shivers down Artemis' spine.

"Oh, I know that."

He decided not to talk anymore.

After a full minute, a black car with tinted windows pulled up, and a door swung open for them.

Artemis got in, impressed.

"You guys have really made a living for yourselves!"

Doodah poked his head around the seat to look at them.

"Yup! Check our sweet ride! This baby's a real gem! Bet you don't have a nice ride like this back home, do you Fowl?"

Artemis smiled.

"We have a nice, sensible black Bentley, with a steel, reinforced boot, so no one can hear you scream."

Doodah turned back to the road, the blood gone from his cheeks.

Mulch started laying down the plan, acting as if nothing had happened.

"No.1 is back at our office, waiting for us. We told him to do his recordings while we're gone. So when we get back, we can just collect the gear and head straight for Police Plaza. But...maybe we can just get a little snack first..."

From the look on Artemis' face, they could all tell that the answer was a no."

Mulch gave a pout, obviously disappointed.

"Fine. Straight to business it is then."

Artemis smiled, "Good."

Mulch tried again.

"It's only 8:00pm! There's still a whole hour before the debriefing! Can't we just get a little something? I'm starving!"

"Your always starving!"

"Whatever."

* * *

**Sorry this chapter's so short, but I was pushed for time, and I want to spread things out as much as possible! But I hope you enjoyed it anyway! Thanks for all your support! And please, please don't be scared to review! I promise I don't bite! But please no flamers or rude comments!  
I'll update soon! See you then!**


	10. One Huge Success, One Huge Loss

****

Hey guys! The next chapter is officially here! Hope you all love it! And for all of you who are looking forward to it, I plan to launch my next story soon!

**And, a passing message to Flossy, who has finally decided to read my chapters!**

"**Oh my soul, Candice! It took you long enough!"**

**Hehe, sorry just had to pass that on!**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

**One Huge Success, One Huge Loss**

Artemis sat in the car outside Police Plaza, a laptop on his knees. He watched the screen with intense interest, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Mulch was holding the camera in front of a small hole in the camfoil, and he was turning and twirling on the spot as he walked, making a home video. The dwarf suddenly turned the camera on himself, grinning and waving at Artemis.

Artemis nearly had a full on heart attack when Mulch nearly walked head on into an LEP elf, Mulch barely slipping past the elf seconds before impact.

Artemis swore under his breath, and fixed the microphone around his ear, letting it hover before his lips.

"Mulch! Stop faffing around and concentrate! You're not on a school field trip to the bloody museum!"

"Gee Arty; I never knew you had it in you! And why don't you lighten up? Things aren't _that_ dangerous!"

"You know what's most likely to lighten up? Your rear end if you're not careful! Honestly, do you want to get shot?!"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Mulch asked innocently.

Artemis clenched and unclenched his fists, trying to calm himself down.

"Never mind, just concentrate on the task at hand…please."

"Finally, some respect! I'm actually being spoken to by a civil individual! Nobody ever gives me the respect I deserve! It's either fugitive this, or convict that! When will someone just call me 'Buddy' or 'Pal'?! I mean, seriously!"

"My heart bleeds for you, _Buddy_."

Mulch muttered something under his breath.

Artemis watched, as the dwarf crept through the halls of Police Plaza, his heart skipping a beat every time Mulch missed being discovered by mere milliseconds.

But besides this, Artemis watched as the LEP officers walked by, seemingly engrossed by their own tasks. But he could clearly see that something far sinister was going on.

_They're all mesmerized. Every single one of them! Opal must have planted a spell in their eyes, causing them to spread the spell, like a disease. Interesting. Despicable. But interesting._

Artemis watched, as Mulch stopped before a door, pointing the camera at it.

"Is this the right room?"

Artemis rolled his eyes to the heavens.

"Oh I don't know! Maybe the sign on the door saying 'Intercom Room' could be a sign leading us in the right direction! But you know, it's just a shot in the dark!" Artemis said his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"Are you always like this? Oh wait, I'm sorry! What a stupid question! You really are this shallow!"

Artemis sighed.

"I'm sorry Mulch. Tell you what! I'll throw in two extra lobsters for you! How does that sound?"

Mulch smiled enthusiastically, as he took a small omnitool out of his big basket full of goodies.

"Sounds like a plan to me!" he said happily, jabbing the business end of the tool into the depths of the lock.

After at least ten seconds, a small beep broke the silence, and Mulch hurried into the room, closing the door quickly behind himself.

A little bit too quickly, as it turned out.

"Mulch!" Artemis growled through clenched teeth, as the door made a loud bang.

"Oops. Sorry." said Mulch, not sounding too concerned.

Artemis cooled himself down, trying to ease his own worry and anxiety.

"OK, moving on. Take the hacking bug, and place it _gently _on top of the hard drive."

Mulch complied, taking the tiny bug out of its protective case. He then placed it lightly on top of the small hard drive, looking almost dainty, if that could be physically possible for a dwarf.

Artemis waited with baited breath, as the laptop loaded the files, hacking into the Intercoms database.

Finally, he grinned wickedly as the files popped up onto the screen.

"Right Mulch, we're in!"

"Great, now put that brain of yours to good use and do your job, seeing as I've done mine."

"You'd better get out of there, the debriefing starts in ten minutes."

"Don't I need to take the bug with me?"

"It's fine. When this is all over, I'm sure Foaly will want his little bug back."

"Oh. Damn!" muttered Mulch, as he stepped out of the small room, closing the door gently behind himself.

Artemis was to busy to notice the gesture, as his fingers raced over the keyboard, hacking deep into the database.

Finally, he reached his destination.

"Password?" asked a robotic voice.

"Julius Root." Artemis mouthed the words as he typed them in.

Then he pressed enter and held his breath, crossing his fingers.

_Please Holls, please, please be right!_

He then let out a sigh of relief, as the robotic voice replied.

"Password correct."

Artemis scanned the page before him, reading today's announcements.

He then smiled miscieviously to himself, as he deleted these files, and replaced them with his own.

He waited for the file to load, then punched the air in glee, as the file was successfully loaded.

_One step closer to freedom!_

Then Artemis nearly jumped out of his skin, when the side door opened, and someone poked their hairy head inside.

Artemis was silent for a second, then blew out a shaky breath.

"Mulch, I'm warning you! That's the third time this day you've nearly given me a heart attack! The strain my poor heart must be under! One more shock, and you'll certainly regret it!"

"Whatever, _grandma_!"

But Artemis had stopped listening, as he was now staring at the timer on the dash board.

8:59pm, underground time.

Artemis grinned.

"You know that you just made it out by the skin of your teeth, right?"

"What?"

But it was at that moment, that utter chaos broke out inside Police Plaza.

Artemis smiled happily, as the sound of No.1's chants echoed through the building. The noise was fantastic. But not nearly as good as Holly's animal calls had been, back there in the Gorilla cage, all those years ago.

After five minutes, the noise stopped, and a shocked silence fell over Police Plaza.

Artemis switched to one of the camera's in the building, and watched, as the officers straightened up, looking slightly dazed.

Then, a door exploded outwards, as Commander Kelp burst into the hallway.

"Who, in Fronds name, did this!!" he roared, his face almost red enough to match Root's.

One officer decided to answer this question.

"Sir, I think we were mesmerized sir." he said nervously, withering under the stare of his furious Commander.

"I know that!! But who did this to us!!"

Another officer, an elf, who you could have sworn on a first glance was a sprite, piped in.

"I think it was Opal sir!"

Trouble nodded slowly, taking this in.

"Where's Foaly?"

They pointed towards the Operations Booth.

"Oh gods, not again!" murmured Kelp, burying his head in his hands.

Artemis switched off the laptop, and turned his head to Mulch, who was grinning at the screen.

"I'd say that's a job well done, now take me home, my hairy friend! I was promised a warm welcome home!"

* * *

Artemis collapsed once more onto the grass, grabbing at it as if his life depended on it.

He turned around slowly to face his laughing friend, trembling violently.

"That, is offically, _the_ last time I ride in a shuttle with you!"

"Whatever, Arty." Mulch laughed happily.

Artemis climbed shakily to his feet.

"Good bye Mulch." he said pointedly.

"Good bye Arty, don't forget to use protection!" Mulch called wickedly, slamming the shuttle door behind him.

Artemis blushed,as the joke hit home.

"That's not funny." he muttered to himself,as he made his way back to the Manor.

* * *

Artemis walked slowly down the corridor, feeling a cold shiver run down his spine.

_Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong!_

He reached his door, and touched the door lightly, and felt shock build up as the door swung slowly open.

When his eyes fell upon the state of his room, his knees nearly gave in.

The room was in ruins, everything scattered around the room. The bed sheets were torn and bloody, and the window was broken, bits of glass lying everywhere. Artemis felt panic well up inside him,as the reality of the situation hit him hard.

_Holly! Where's Holly!?!_

Artemis staggered to the bed, and stared in horror at the sheets, painted red with blood.

_So much blood!_

And he knew who the blood belonged to.

Panic began to take over, as thoughts crashed into his head, his own emotions bringing him to his knees.

He looked at the sheets again, and found a small recorder and letter laying between it's layers.

Artemis picked up the recorder, and pressed play.

Then he gasped out in pain and shock, as a agonized scream filled the air.

Artemis hurriedly ended the recording, feeling sick to his stomach.

With shaky fingers and a heavy heart, he opened the letter.

_Fowl.  
Meet me at the abandoned warehouse on the Starfish Drive, just south of here.  
I have Holly, she's still alive, well, if you can call her that.  
If you want her to live, meet me here, before 3:00pm. Any later, and you will have someone else to bury.  
Come meet your death, Fowl. Don't keep me waiting.  
Opal Koboi._

Artemis felt his panic numb, as cold fury built itself up inside him, sending his blood hot.

He dropped the letter and walked over to the wall safe, and jabbed in the access code, his mind determined.

Inside was a number of documents and valuables. But he ignored these, reaching down into the back of the safe. With a determination even Butler would be proud of, Artemis drew out a fairly large Hardballer.

He looked at the gun, feeling the cold steel against his fingers. He'd sworn to himself that the gun would never take a life, and, despite the circumstances, didn't intend to break that promise now.

_Better be safe than sorry. But...it would be nice to be rid of her._

He grabbed his communicator, and typed in a short letter to Foaly.

_Going after Opal.  
__She has Holly.  
__Send reinforcements to Starfish Drive, just South of Fowl Manor.  
Meet me at the old abandoned warehouse at 3:15.  
Bring a body bag._

**So did you guys like it? I really hope so! But I have some bad news. I'm going away this weekend, so I won't be able to update for a while.**

**But I'll see you guys then! Bye Bye!**

* * *


	11. The Warehouse Meeting

**Hey! I'm back from my weekend trip, and I've finally updated, as you can all see! Honestly, I really missed writing! It was like a deep, dark emptiness inside my heart, sniff sniff (brushes away imaginary tear)!  
But, anyway, thank you to all of you who reviewed my last chapter! I was nervous you guys wouldn't like the ending, but thankfully, I was wrong! Thanks guys, you're the best!  
Enjoy the chapter!**

**Oh, and here's another passing message to Flossi and Mange, my school buddys (who are both beginning to write fan fiction, so look out for them!)**

**To Flossi: Hey! I'm glad you missed me Flossi! I missed you too! It was kinda weird when I could actually hear myself think! Hahaha! See you at school!**

**To Manga: I'm so glad your writting now! Welcome to the club! I'm sure your stories are going to be great! Hope you find that memory stick! See you later!**

**Thanks!**

**The Warehouse Meeting**

Artemis drove up to the dark and dingy warehouse, trying to be as silent as possible. He parked the car just outside the entrance, feeling as if his stomach was filled with lead.

He sat in there for a minute, mulling things over.

_I have to go in. Holly's in there, and who knows what state she's in right now! I have to save her, and I must deal with Opal. This is the last time I want to look at that insane woman!_

But for once, Artemis did not have a plan.

He reached his hand into his pocket and touched the hilt of the gun gingerly.

_Should I do this?_

The sound of Holly scream echoed through his head, sending shivers down his spine. But with them came another wave of rage that sent his heart racing.

With deliberate steps, he climbed out the car, slamming the door behind him, forgetting about stealth. Later, he'd look back on these actions, and mentally hit himself for being so hot-headed.

He reached the warehouse sliding door, and glared inside.

The warehouse was dark and dirty, and smelt of rot and fungi. The lighting was dark, but not pitch black. He could still see shapes and figures lurking in the gloom ahead.

Artemis took a small step inside, just to be cautious. When nothing happened, he took a bigger step in, and got swallowed up inside the darkness.

He stood there in the gloom, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the lack of light.

When his eyes finally adjusted, a startled gasp escaped Artemis, and all past bravado fell away, leaving only horror, shock and worry.

At the far end of the warehouse, Holly hung from the roof, swinging slightly in the light breeze. The only clothes she wore was her one piece, and the garment clung to her, looking dark against her skin. She was hanging just above a raised platform, and chains snaked around her limp arms, keeping her in place.

_Oh gods! She's dead! Oh Lord, please tell me she's not dead!_

Artemis ran towards her, trying not to slip on the mossy floor. When he reached the stairs leading up to the raised platform, he took the step two at a time, hurrying to get to her.

When he reached her, he drew in another breath, and tried to fight the angry tears that welled up.

Holly was covered in long, deep cuts, some that had developed into ugly scars and scabs; others still leaking small rivulets of blood. Holly had obviously used what little bit of magic she had left to heal herself, but it had not been enough.

Artemis fought back a sob as he reached up and laid a shaking hand on her pale cheek.

Suddenly, her eyes flashed open, and she stared down at him. Artemis almost felt like crying out in joy, but that feeling was killed by the sorrow that filled his heart when he saw the pain in her mismatched eyes.

Her eyes flashed, and they soon filled with shock, then joy, then confusion, but her eyes finally filled with horror.

"Arty!? No! You shouldn't have come! Opal, she's here! She'll get you!"

Artemis ignored her, and began yanking on the chain, beginning to free her.

"I saw the blood on the bed. I thought she'd killed you!"

Holly shook her head.

"It's fake! That blood's not mine! It's sheep blood!"

Artemis froze, and stared blankly at her.

"But your cuts!? How…"

Holly closed her eyes slowly, trembling slightly.

"How do you think she got me to scream? I wouldn't scream for her, so she…improvised." she whispered, her voice sounding small in the silence.

New, fresh rage built up, and Artemis gave another yank on the chain.

Finally, the chains gave in, and Holly dropped to the platform, landing lightly, with only the slightest hint of a wobble. Artemis felt surprised as Holly turned to him, alert and determined, despite the fact that some of her scars and scabs had cracked open, and more blood began to leak out lazily.

"Artemis, we have to move now!"

But as the words left her mouth, lights flashed into life, and the warehouse doors slid closed, slamming shut with a loud bang.

Artemis and Holly spun round as a slow, ominous clapping came up from behind them.

Opal stood in front of the doors, a huge, malicious smile on her face. She clapped slowly, mocking them with each clap her tiny hands made.

"Bravo, Fowl!" she called, a snide tone in her voice, "And there was I thinking you'd be late!" she froze, frowning slightly, and took a glance at her wrist watch. After a seconds pause, she nodded to herself, and looked up, a sparkle in her eye.

"Yes, you're just on time. three o'clock, on the dot! I must say, you've really impressed me! Although..." she turned to Holly, a wicked smile crossing her face, "I'm slightly disappointed. Your friend would have been so...fun to play with! As you can see, I quite enjoyed our last game! Her voice just sounds so moving when she screams in agony. You nearly bought a tear to my eye, Short!"

Artemis clenched his fists, trembling, trying to keep his anger in check.

_Don't give her what she wants! I will not collapse in front of her! That's what she wants, to see me lose control._

Instead, he did what he did best.

Artemis leaned against the guard rail, appearing casual, and looked across at Opal, grinning.

"Reeeeally? What did you two play? Let me guess. Naughts and crosses?" he cheered, mocking her.

Opals smile disappeared, and she scowled. Slowly, she reached a hand into the pocket of her suit, and drew out a long, evil looking knife.

"Oh, the game was similar, Fowl. Maybe you should ask your girlfriend. See what she thought of it."

Artemis looked side ways at Holly. Her features where hard and determined, but there was the slightest hint of a shiver racking her small frame as she glared at her tormentor.

Artemis took a few slow, deliberate steps towards the stairs, but Holly's hand shot out, grabbing his arm.

"Arty, don't do this! She's not stable!"

Artemis reached into his suit pocket, hiding it from view, and drew the hilt of the gun out, showing Holly.

Her eyes widened, as she stared at the gun.

But before she could argue, Artemis stepped away, and descended the stairs, trying to look casual.

"That's not a worry of mine right now. But now it's time for this to end. I've had enough of you to last me a life time."

Opal laughed, and began to walk towards them.

"Sorry to burst your little bubble, _Arty_, but you're life time isn't going to last very long. You're going to die right here, today! That is how this will end!"

Artemis reached the bottom, and walked forward, headingtowardsthe centre. As he walked, he felt a hand touch his. He looked back, and saw Holly walking next to him. The look on her face gave him new strength and courage, and he turned back to Opal, who had stopped just before the centre of the warehouse.

He came to a halt, standing a good few paces away from Opal. He was brave, but not brave or stupid enough to come to close.

"But really, Koboi. Does someone always have to die to bring you true satisfaction?"

Opal smiled.

"Yes, Fowl. Death brings me joy!" then she paused, and turned to Holly, directing her next comment to her, "Just like Kevin's death brought me joy!"

Holly froze, and stared at Opal, her face contorting with wild rage.

Artemis felt his stomach drop right through his shoes.

_Oh no. Holls please don't! Don't listen to her!_

"Holls, please! Don't listen to her!"

Opal carried on, watching the effects of her words take hold of the revengeful elf.

"He really deserved to die, Short! But...how does it feel, knowing that he died because of you? He died in your hands! You could of saved him! But, you were just to busy, weren't you, Captain Short?"

This last comment pushed Holly over the edge.

With a cry, Holly launched herself at Opal, her eyes flashing with uncontrollable passion and anger. She drew her fist back, preparing to knock the life out of the deranged pixie.

Opal hurriedly stuffed the knife in her pocket, then shot her hands out, and caught Holly's punch, the full force of Holly's blow pushing her backwards, her feet sliding.

But they both stayed in place, glaring daggers at one another.

But Holly wasn't finished.

Still being held in Koboi's vice like grasp, Holly shot one foot up, connecting it with Opals head.

Opal gasped, but still held firm. Artemis could of sworn he heard the crack of a bone breaking, but the pixie still stood in place, gritting her teeth.

Opal suddenly pulled a leg up, and kicked Holly full on in the chest, knocking the wind out of her.

She sucked in a desperate breath, and pulled away, stepping away from the pixie she-devil.

After a seconds hesitation, Holly rushed back, throwing punches at Opal, ducking and weaving as Koboi lashed out, defending herself.

Opal gave a huff, and pushed Holly, using all her strength. Holly staggered back, but did not fall over.

Then, still determined to break a few bones, Holly launched herself back, back flipping away from Opal.

Artemis' eyes widened, as he watched Holly arch her back, soaring through the air. Despite the situation, he had to resist the urge to grab her.

Holly came to a stand still, resting on her hands, then launched back again, arching through the air, speeding towards Opal.

Koboi's eyes widened in horror, as she watched the elf speed towards her. But with cold determination, she spread her legs wide, and waited for the blow, gritting her teeth.

On the last forward flip, Holly stopped, coming to rest before Opal. Then, with a determined cry, she pulled her leg down, then shot it up, sending it rocketing towards Opals chin.

Artemis held his breath, waiting for the crushing blow which would surely send Opal flying.

But the kick never reached its target.

Koboi lashed out, grabbing Holly's ankle. Holly gasped out in shock, surprised by the the pixies strength.

Then, grinning wildly, Opal flung Holly away from her. Holly cried out with shock as she crashed to the mossy floor.

Shakily, Holly lifted herself up on her arms, all anger gone, replaced instead with shock and pain.

But when she looked up, all feeling left her body, as her eyes took in the scene before her.

Opal hovered above the ground, using her suits wings. She clutched her knife in one hand, and the other was locked around Artemis' neck, holding him just above the ground. His eyes were wide with shock and horror.

Opal gave a wicked grin, looking down at Holly.

"It's over Short! I win! Your actions has just bought another life to it's glorious end!"

She looked sideways at Artemis, and the smile disappeared, and was replaced with a sour, wicked expression.

"I'll see you in Hell, Artemis." she said, her voice layered with hatred.

Then, with a determined cry, Opal brought the dagger up, sticking it up and into Artemis, sliding it through his rib cage.

Artemis gave a low cry, his eyes widening with pain. What color he had left drained from his cheeks, and he hung there, pinned in place by the knife.

It took Holly a second to realize she was screaming. With a sorrow so profound, she launched up, running towards her dying friend.

Opal smiled, filled with joy at her victory. She let go of Artemis, and he slid of the knife's blade, falling to the floor.

Holly reached him, and shot her hand into his pocket, pulling out the large gun.

Opal, too caught up in her own happiness, did not notice when Holly aimed the gun at her.

Shaking with grief, Holly pulled the trigger, shooting Koboi in the shoulder.

Opal cried out in pain, clutching her shoulder. Her wings died, and Opal dropped to the floor.

Holly took the opportunity, and whacked Opal between the eyes with the blunt end of the gun, feeling satisfaction well up inside as Opal dropped to the ground, instantly unconscious.

Holly dropped the gun, and turned to Artemis.

When she saw his pale face, and the spreading red on his top, she dropped down next to him, tears streaming down her cheeks.

But she wouldn't give up.

_I won't let him die!_

She reached down and unbuttoned his top, trying to get a better view of the wound.

When she saw it, she gasped out in horror. The wound was big and gaping, and she heard the whistling sound the air made as his lungs sucked in air. The blood was still leaking from the wound.

"Holly..." came the shaky sound of Artemis' voice, trying to draw her attention.

Holly spared a glance at him, and instantlyregretted it. The sight of his pale face, the expression of pain, caused her to heave a sob, but she hurriedly turned away.

"Not now, Arty. I have to save you now. You're not going to die today!"

When no reply came, Holly looked up, and all the air got knocked out her lungs as she saw that his eyes had closed.

She stuck a finger to his throat, feeling for a pulse.

And she heaved a sigh of relief as she felt his heart beating. His pulse was faint, startlingly so, but at least it was there.

The placed her hands over his wound, and dug deep, search inside herself for a last drop of magic.

A single spark flared into life, slithering down her hand. When it reached Artemis, it shot into his wound, dancing merrily.

But that was all she had.

Holly felt fresh new tears burn her eyes, and she buried her head in her hands. She rocked herself backwards and forwards, trying to console herself.

Then, as she sat there, crying, as her heart felt like it would die inside her, an idea formed in her mind. It was desperate, but it was still an idea.

She got up, and looked around her. Finally, she found what she was looking for.

Holly ran to the wall and grabbed her LEP suit. Hurriedly, she shoved herself into the suit, zipping it up behind herself.

When she had, at last, gotten it on properly, she ran back to Artemis, her heart beating to beat all hell.

She leaned down and clipped Artemis to her Moonbelt, then lifted him up gently, holding him in her arms.

_I can't give up on him now. Not when he needs me the most!_

And with this thought, Holly launch them through a hole in the warehouse roof, sending them both rocketing into the sky.

* * *

**Hey! I know this chapter sounds pretty sad right now, and things look like they will turn out for the worst, but please bare with me! But besides the sad bit, I hope you guys like it! I took Holly's fighting techniec from Hikaru in Angelic layer. When I watched the show once, I saw this really awesome kick that I just knew was PERFECT for Holly! Go check it out, it looks really awesome! Hope you guys liked the fight scene! I promise to update soon, so look out for the next chapter!**

**And thank you once again for reviewing the previous chapter! You guys are AWESOME! Thank you soooo much! I love your reviews!**

**See you then!**

**Oh, and bye bye Flossi!**


	12. Please Don't Leave Me

**Hey! I'm sooo glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter! Thanks for the reviews! You guys are the best! I hope you guys love my next story just as much as this one!**

**But, here's the next chapter! Thank you to all of you for supporting me!**

**Please Don't Leave Me**

Holly soared across the Irish country side, holding Artemis close to her chest. She hoped with all her heart that she'd make it on time.

She pushed lightly at Artemis' neck, biting her lower lip.

The pulse was barely there. Under normal circumstances, he'd be declared dead. He was just too far gone.

_But I won't give up! He mustn't! He _can't _die!_

She pushed her wings harder, trying to reach their limit.

When she was confident they'd reached their maximum level of power, she concentrated on her surroundings. She didn't want to over shoot her destination.

All the while she held on to Artemis, praying in her heart. She was too afraid to think about the possibility that she was wrong. The concept was too huge and terrifying even to contemplate.

She squeezed him hard, trying to comfort him. But in reality, she was comforting herself.

She dared herself to glance at him. She was afraid of what she might see, but she knew she had to.

Taking a deep breath, she looked down.

A sob escaped her, as her calm shattered. Artemis was paler than he'd ever been, so white she could see every vein. His eyes were half open, the whites of them clearly visible. His mouth hung slightly open, just the faintest bit of air reaching his lungs. He hung there, his whole body limp.

_Like a corpse!_ She thought, panic beginning to take over.

Artemis was literally at deaths door, hanging over the threshold.

She pushed these thoughts out of her mind. If she lost control now, it would be over for both of them.

She was so deep in her own storm of emotions that she barely registered the opening in the forest canopy ahead.

After a second, realization dawned, and Holly felt a wave of gratitude flow over her.

_Don't stop now! You're not out of the woods yet!_

She angled herself, descending towards the clearing.

The clearing where she and Artemis had first meet.

There was a bad memory kept in that clearing. But they all knew that if that bad thing hadn't happened, no good would have happened later. She wasn't about to say that she enjoyed or liked it, but she was glad that Artemis had kidnapped her. If he hadn't, they would never have meet, and the fairies would have been found and exploited.

Holly landed in the clearing, running before she even got her balance. She sprinted towards the huge oak tree, pressing Artemis to herself all the harder.

She skidding the last distance on her knees, and finally came to a halt under its mighty limbs.

She unhooked Artemis, and laid him on the ground gently, trembling slightly. She was desperate. There was barely a five percent chance that this would work. If someone else had asked her opinion on the idea, she might of asked if they were insane.

But she had to try.

With one hand, she felt Artemis' neck one more time, searching.

Barely a pulse. She had to push extra hard just to feel the soft, pitiful beat. But she could feel that his heart was giving up. He'd lost to much blood.

Holly fought back the tears that began to flow. He was simply too far gone. To be honest with herself, she was surprised he'd lasted this long to begin with.

_No! _Her steel, hard inner core screamed, _You will not give up! Fight for it!!_

With shaking fingers, she ripped off his last bits of clothing, leaving his pale chest bare. The sun shone bright, warming the skin slightly.

Then, hoping, praying that it was still there, Holly dug a hand into her pocket, searching for her last hope.

She smiled, and pulled out the small, brown acorn. It was still there. She hadn't lost it yesterday in the struggle.

Hurriedly, she dug a small hole, pushing away the loose, rich soil.

Finally, the hole was big enough. With a sigh of relief, she reached out and took Artemis' hand, placing the acorn in his pale palm.

Then, wrapping her hand around his, she placed both their hands in the hole.

"We return you to the earth," she whispered, closing her eyes, "And claim the gift that is our right."

She knew she was pushing it, changing the prayer like this, but she had to make sure Artemis would receive magic to, even if it was for healing.

For a few seconds, nothing happened, and Holly felt cold dread build up.

_Please...Please come!_

Then, just as Holly began to lose hope, and new tears began to flow, she saw them.

Two bright blue sparks were worming their way up through the soil, heading towards their entwined hands. When they reached the tips of their fingers, they paused, hesitating.

Then, both sparks shot up, entering each hand.

The minute the sparks reached their destination, more sparks flew up out of the ground, flowing into Artemis and Holly.

Holly watched, as a army of sparks flowed into her, healing her wounds, filling her up. She felt her many scars seal themselves, and felt them disappear, leaving her skin clean.

But the affects on Artemis were far more dramatic.

The gaping wound on his skin was filled with blue light, as the sparks healed him. Blue sparks danced on his chest, fixing internal damage, stuanching the bleeding.

Holly looked at their arms. Both arms were covered from top to bottom in blue sparks, as the earth passed its gift onto them.

Suddenly, the magic flow connected to Holly stopped. She was fully topped up.

The force of the magic sent her flying, turning her head of heel. For a moment, the world was a blur of color, then she finally focused.

She arched her back, till she'd spun around in the air, facing back towards Artemis. She spread her wings wide, slowing herself down. Her feet connected with solid ground, and she skidded to a halt, her feet buried an inch in the ground.

Hurriedly, she ran back to Artemis, needing to see if the healing was going well.

The gaping hole was gone, but the sparks continued to fly, lighting the air around him, just like many tiny fireworks.

Holly watched, as his system rebooted. His hair shot out his head, growing and flashing, framing his face in an electric hallow. His nails shot out, looking like claws in the half light. She heard his voice as his vocal cords tested themselves. His eyes flashed open, fluttering like hummingbirds wings.

Then, with one final arch of his back, Artemis collapsed back to the earth.

Holly dropped down next to him, holding her breath, sparks still dancing in the air.

He looked healthy, not a hair out of place. He looked like a healthy corpse, but then again, he always looked like that, so this was a good sign.

But something made dread and horror well up inside, her breath catching in her throat.

He wasn't moving.

Holly felt sorrow overcome her, and new, hot tears began to flow.

_I'm too late!!_

Holly bowed over him, her sobs racking her small frame.

She gave in to the wall of grief, and placed her head on his chest, crying, pleading.

"Please!! Please don't leave me!"

No reply.

She felt like her heart was going to stop. Maybe it had. She could only just hear it. The only sound was a slight thumping, taunting her, reminding her that she was still alive.

_I wish I wasn't!_

After this thought, she lifted herself up, trembling.

Holly looked down at Artemis, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Then, she lowered her face to his.

"I'm sorry Arty." she whispered, and kissed his lips.

She held herself there, kissing him, knowing he'd not return her kiss, but still savouring it.

But her heart nearly stopped, as she felt two warm arms wrap themselves around her, and she felt his lips respond to her. She was so shocked that she tried to pull away, but Artemis pulled her closer, growling in protest. Holly gave in to his wishes, partly because she couldn't move, and partly because she didn't want to leave.

Around them, new sparks shot into the air, as if the earth was celebrating this latest occurrence.

* * *

**There it is! Arty's back folks! And thankfully, he's here to stay! Hope you liked it! Sorry it's so short!**

**Please review this chapter! I love to hear what you think! But PLEASE no flamers!**

**I promise I'll update soon! See you soon!**


	13. Change is in the Air

**Hey guys! Here's the last chapter! I'm sad that it's over, but have no fear, **_**there will be a sequel!**_** And my next story is coming up very soon! So keep your eyes open!**

**I just want to say thank you for all the support! If it wasn't for you guys, I might never have finished!**

**Enjoy this chapter!**

**Change is in the Air.**

Holly felt shocked and disbelief break through the feelings of love and passion, as Artemis kissed her. The fact that he was alive and kicking was great, but still un-nerving.

_How?! What happened!? This is unbelievable!_

But with Artemis, nothing was ever believable or ordinary. Butler had once said that Artemis couldn't walk to a shop and buy milk without something blowing up. That would probably be the shop in question.

Holly worried that she dreaming, that in reality she had cried herself to sleep. But the touch of his hands and the feel of his warm body felt all too real. There wasn't a dream that would ever be able to match up to this.

But suddenly, all thought was lost, as Artemis rolled onto her, holding her close to his chest. She couldn't help but respond, opening her mouth for him, as his tongue demanded access.

After what felt like forever, Artemis pulled away.

She looked up into his face, and saw the huge grin that took up most of his face. His mismatched eyes sparkled happily, as he watched her reaction.

She opened her mouth, and then closed it again, too lost for words.

Finally, words came.

She shook her head, "How is this possible! Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic that you're alive, but I'm still confused! I thought you were dead! You wouldn't move!"

Artemis shrugged.

"I was in shock. I thought I was dead! But when I felt you kiss me, I knew that I just had to be alive."

Understanding dawned on her, and her face lit up.

"That was the soft heart beat I kept hearing when I cried on your chest! I thought the heart beats were my own, but they were yours all along!"

Artemis nodded seriously.

"That's probably the best explanation for it."

Suddenly, all her shock and disbelief disappeared, and was replaced with happiness and joy.

She sat up, hugging him tight. She never wanted to leave his side again. If she had to, she's wrap him up in bubble rap, and put a sticker saying 'fragile' on his chest. She'd do anything to keep him safe.

Artemis hugged her back, swaying her from side to side.

"I though I'd lose you." She whispered into his chest.

He rested his cheek on top of her head, closing his eyes, feeling at home and content.

"I knew you'd save me." He replied, kissing her hair.

Holly laughed softly.

"I do love it when you wake up, and your kisses are always great after you've had a near death experience, but I think I've had enough. This is the last time I want to see you standing at deaths door."

Artemis nodded, grinning to himself.

"I agree. But if it's better kisses you want, I can surely try to meet your expectations." he said wryly.

Holly smiled, and looked up into his face. When she saw his smile, she felt herself melt, her heart feeling like it would burst.

With a contented sigh, she sat up straighter, and pressed her forehead to his, her eyes closing slowly. Everything seemed to fall into place at that moment.

"I love you." she whispered.

Artemis gave a slight gasp, then chuckled happily.

"I love you too. But honestly Holls, why did I have to wait so long and have so many near death experiences just to hear those words!?"

Holly pulled back, frowning slightly.

"Arty, it's only been two days."

Artemis gave a huff, rolling his eyes.

"Two days, two years, what difference does it make!? Felt like a damn life time!"

Holly had too laugh at this. Artemis could never just let something rest. It was most probably the whole reason theyed come together in the first place.

Holly got up, punching Artemis playfully on the shoulder.

"Come on Arty. Stop moaning, and just be grateful for what you have."

Artemis muttered something under his breath as he stood up, massaging his shoulder.

Holly stifled a giggle when she saw the sour look on his face. He was holding what was left of his suit.

_Some things never change! But maybe that's a good thing._

She grinned as she clipped Artemis to her moonbelt.

"Honestly, you could of at least saved the material! What am I going to wear now?" he muttered, staring at the bits of clothing in mild disgust.

Holly scowled, becoming genuinely irritated.

"You should be thankful you're not heading home in a body bag!" she snapped.

Suddenly, Artemis snapped his fingers, as something important came to mind.

"I almost forgot! We have to go back to the warehouse first. A friend is waiting there for us."

Holly looked at him in mild surprise.

"Who would be there now? I didn't call for reinforcements."

Artemis gave her a sly wink, as she launched them both into the air.

"Who said that I didn't?" he asked, turning his head away from her to look down at the forest canopy below.

At that moment, Holly had to resist the urge to strangle him.

"So we went through all of this, when we could have simply waited for the LEPto arrive?! We could have avoided all of this!!"

Artemis shrugged, obviously unfazed.

"Well, yes. But look at all the good that has come of this. I don't regret what I did. And besides, you really were quite impressive when you had that fight with Opal!"

Holly shook her head, to tired to argue.

"You're going to be the death of me, Arty!"

Artemis' smile disappeared.

"I do hope not. I plan to spend the rest of my life with you. I don't see how it can turn out differently."

Holly sighed.

"You do know that your plans could cause some problems. You're life is a lot shorter than mine Arty." she said sadly.

Artemis bit his lower lip.

_I plan to change that. _He thought, as they flew across the Irish Countryside.

* * *

As the two of them landed in the warehouse, they were greeted by a very excited centaur.

Artemis gave a yelp of surprise as Foaly charged towards him, and pulled Artemis into a rough hug.

"Artemis!! You're alive!! Oh, you have no idea how worried I was about you! Opal kept ranting about how she killed you!! And we found the knife!! Oh gods, you have no idea how upset I was! I'm going to lock both of you in a padded cell I'll throw away the key!"

Artemis struggled in the centaurs arms, trying to breath.

Foaly let him go and turned to Holly, pulling her into a much gentler embrace.

Holly laughed, patting him on the back.

"I'm fine Foaly! Look, I'm topped up and fully healed!"

Artemis grinned.

Then, he raised his index finger into the air dramatically, as blue sparks erupted from the tip.

"As you can both see, so am I." he said, his voice layered in ill-concealed triumph.

Both fairy's stared at him, there jaws hanging in shock.

Holly groaned and buried her head in her hands.

"Oh no. Not again!"

Artemis opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a loud scream from behind.

They turned around, and the blood drained from Artemis and Holly's cheeks.

Opal stood a few paces away from them, her eyes wide in horror. She was being held in place by a squad of LEP elves, all of which had a worried look on their faces.

"No!!!! I killed you!!! I did it with my own hands!! How!!? This isn't possible!!!" she cried out, her cheeks pasty white.

Artemis put on a wicked smirk.

"My, my Opal! You do look pale! You look like you've seen a ghost!" he called cheerfully to her, giving her his infamous vampire smile.

Opal gave a howl of rage, struggling against her restraints. She shook her chained fists at the teenager, her expression murderous.

"You'll pay for this!!!! I'll kill you Fowl!!! You'll lie in a pool of your own blood!!!" she screamed, shaking in anger.

Artemis merely shrugged.

"That's what you always say!" he called, turning back to his fairy friends.

Holly hung her head, her shoulders sagging.

"Will this ever end?" she murmured.

Forgetting where he was, Artemis stepped towards her, and held her close as he kissed her hair, rocking her gently.

They both heard a startled gasp, and they turned to look at Foaly. He was staring at them, his eyes wide.

After a long pause, he finally spoke.

"I knew it! I knew this would happen! I immediately heard something was wrong when you two came back from the past! You just couldn't obey the rules, could you Holly?" he asked, grinning from ear to ear.

Holly scowled.

"I'm not breaking any rules! Trust me, I've checked."

Foaly snorted.

"No offence Holly, but that's because no body's stupid enough to do this! But...I do support you. Believe it or not, I'm happy that you two are a couple! It took you long enough!"

But then he froze, as he thought silently to himself.

"But... I do think a change would help."

Artemis nodded seriously.

_He's very right. A change is definitely in order!_

Suddenly, Foaly clapped his hands together, shocking them out of their thoughts.

"Well come on! It's time for us to head home! You two can go too Fowl Manor. I'll see you at OPs Holly! And I don't think I need to remind you about Internal Affairs!"

Holly winced.

"No Foaly, you certainly don't."

But Artemis grabbed Foaly's arm.

"Where's the Bentley!?" he asked, still gripping Foaly's arm.

"Relax, mud boy! I got one of my elves to drive it back home for you!" said Foaly, still grinning.

Artemis let him going, frowning in worry.

"If there's a single scratch..."

Foaly laughed happily. Then, with a cheery wave he trotted off, making towards a waiting shuttle.

Holly sighed, as she clipped Artemis back to the moonbelt.

"Honestly, he could of at least given us a lift back!" she grumbled unhappily.

Artemis turned around, pulling her close to him.

"Maybe he wanted to give us some time to be alone." he murmured, kissing the corner of her mouth.

"Maybe." she whispered back, turning her head slightly to cover her lips with his.

The kiss was sweet and lingering. There was nothing hasty or fierce about it. But despite this fact, both of them still shivered with uncontrolable pleasure.

Artemis pulled away to look at her, a sly smile on his lips.

"Is this where we hold hands and fly off into the sunset?" he asked wryly.

Holly laughed, reaching around him and taking his hand.

"Yes, I do think so." she answered happily, as she launched them into the sky, the sunset sparkling around them.

As they flew, Artemis unclenched one of his fists, and glanced at the auburn hairs sitting in the palm of his hand.

While they were kissing, Artemis had ran his hand through her hair, pulling a few strands as he did so.

_I have some some very important plans for you._ He thought, as the flew across the sky, heading back towards Fowl Manor.

* * *

**That's a rap! I hope you liked it! And there WILL be a sequel! There just has to be! I have left just too many unanswered questions open! But while you're waiting for the sequel (which will be called 'Artemis Fowl and the Time for Change.') you can read my next story, which is called 'Artemis Fowl and The Undercover Operative'! Sorry for the lame title, but it was all I could come up with! It is also after TTP.**

**Thank you all for the awesome support! I couldn't have done it without your great reviews! And for all of you who haven't reviewed yet, please do! I'm making a goal to receive 200 reviews!**

**And thank you to Flossi and Mange! You guys are the best!**

**See you soon Flossi! And you're right! I do believe we were separated at birth! Curse my mother for taking the wrong baby at the hospital! Flossi, I'm happy to say that you're my long lost sister! :)**

**Bye bye! But I'll be back, so keep your eyes open! ;)**


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